mù mịt
The English phrase "hazy" is translated into Vietnamese as mù mịt.
mù mịt is used to describe low visibility caused by fog, smoke or dust, as well as metaphorical obscurity like a confused or unclear future.
Meaning: not clear or transparent (adj)
Which one should you use?
mịt mù is a common variation of mù mịt that is often used in literary or poetic contexts to describe a hazy or indistinct atmosphere.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, it can be preceded by the word 'rất' (very) to intensify the degree of haziness, such as 'rất mù mịt'.
Did you know?
- The word mù is also used in Vietnamese to describe blindness. This creates a direct linguistic link between the 'haze' of a foggy day and the 'haze' of losing one's sight.
- In Vietnamese, the order of words in a reduplicative pair can change the mood. While mù mịt is a standard description, switching it to mịt mù shifts the tone to be more poetic and evocative.
- The word mù shares a deep linguistic connection with the Chinese character for 'fog', 霧, even though it uses a completely different phonetic reading than the standard Sino-Vietnamese 'vụ'.
Examples in context
- Hôm nay trời có sương mù.Today, the weather is hazy/foggy.
- Đôi khi thành phố bị sương mù.Sometimes the city gets hazy.
- Bức tranh này nhìn mờ.This painting looks hazy/fuzzy.
- Một cảm giác mờ ảo đang áp đảo tâm trí tôi.A hazy feeling is overwhelming my mind.
- Những hình ảnh đi qua trí nhớ tôi mờ ảo.The images passing through my memory are hazy.
- Buổi chiều trời mờ đục.The afternoon sky is hazy.
- Cơn mưa làm cho cảnh quan trở nên mờ đục.The rain made the scenery hazy.
- Khói bụi làm bầu trời mù mịt.Smoke and dust make the sky hazy.
- Tầm nhìn mù mịt do sương mù.The visibility is hazy due to the fog.
- Cảnh vật phía trước thật mù mịt.The scenery ahead is really hazy.
Example conversation
Hùng and Chi are looking out the window at the city skyline.
- Hùng HungChi nhìn kìa, thời tiết mù mịt quá.Chi, look, the weather is so hazy.
- ChiĐúng rồi, tôi không thấy tòa nhà kia.You're right, I can't see that building.
- Hùng HungChắc là do ô nhiễm không khí rồi.It's probably because of air pollution.
- ChiChúng ta nên đeo khẩu trang vào.We should put on our masks.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mù, mù mịt, mịt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
