Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Wilted; withered; limp: Describes plants, leaves, or vegetables that have lost their freshness, firmness, and vitality, often due to lack of water or heat.
   • Sullen; gloomy; downcast: Describes a person's facial expression that appears sad, disappointed, or sulky, often showing a lack of spirit or enthusiasm.

Usage Examples

• Adjective (describing plants):
  • Rau để lâu ngày đã bị xàu. (The vegetables left for a long time have wilted.)
  • Những bông hoa này trông hơi xàu. (These flowers look a bit withered.)
• Adjective (describing facial expression):
  • Nghe tin đó, mặt anh ta xàu hẳn đi. (Hearing that news, his face fell completely.)
  • Sao trông mặt con xàu thế? (Why do you look so sullen?)

Advanced Usage

• The word "xàu" is often used in Southern Vietnamese dialects. In Northern Vietnamese, "héo" is more common for describing wilted plants, and "buồn" or "ủ rũ" for a sad expression.
• It can describe something that has lost its intended form or vigor, extending beyond plants to metaphorically describe spirits or moods.

Variants and Related Words

• Xàu xì (adj): A reinforced form meaning very wilted or very sullen.
  • Lá cây xàu xì vì nắng. (The leaves are very withered because of the sun.)
• Héo (adj): The more standard Northern Vietnamese term for wilted or withered (of plants).

Synonyms

• Wilted: (for plants) Lacking freshness, drooping.
• Sullen: (for expression) Bad-tempered, gloomy, and silent.
• Downcast: (for expression) Looking sad or discouraged.

Related Idioms

• Mặt xàu như bị (lit. face as sullen as...): An informal simile emphasizing a very gloomy or displeased facial expression.
  • Cậu bé mặt xàu như bị vì không được đi chơi. (The boy's face was very sullen because he couldn't go out to play.)