ăn tạp
Definition
- Verb:
- To be omnivorous: The primary meaning of "ăn tạp" describes the dietary habit of an animal that consumes a wide variety of food, including both plant and animal matter.
- To eat indiscriminately / to have a varied diet: It can also describe the act of eating many different types of food without strict dietary specialization.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Con gấu này ăn tạp, nó ăn cả quả mọng lẫn cá. (This bear is omnivorous; it eats both berries and fish.)
- Lợn là loài ăn tạp. (Pigs are omnivorous animals.)
- Một số loài chim ăn tạp để thích nghi với môi trường. (Some bird species eat a varied diet to adapt to their environment.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in biological and zoological contexts to classify animals but can be applied informally to describe humans with very broad and non-selective eating habits.
- Đứa trẻ đó ăn tạp quá, không hề kén chọn. (That child eats everything; he is not picky at all.)
Variants and Related Words
- Động vật ăn tạp (n): omnivore, an omnivorous animal.
- Con người được xem là động vật ăn tạp. (Humans are considered omnivores.)
Synonyms
- Omnivorous: feeding on both plants and animals.
- To have a catholic diet: to eat a wide variety of foods (more formal/literary).
Related Idioms
- While "ăn tạp" itself is a specific term, it is conceptually related to the idea of non-selectivity. A related Vietnamese phrase is:
- Ăn được ngủ được: (lit. to be able to eat and sleep) meaning to be in good health, often implying a robust, non-fussy appetite.
- Cứ ăn tạp và khỏe mạnh là được, đừng quá kiêng khem. (Just eat a varied diet and stay healthy; don't restrict yourself too much.)
verb
-
to gobble
