thơm

See also: Thom, thom, thòm, and thỏm

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰəːm˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰəːm˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [tʰəːm˧˧]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Vietic *tʰəːm (“fragrant”), perhaps from Proto-Mon-Khmer *dhum ~ *dhuum (“fragrant; to scent”); compare Khmer ធុំ (thum, “fragrant”) and Proto-Katuic *pahuum ~ *tahuum (whence Pacoh thum (“fragrant”)).

For the mark of effection, compare Wu 香 (“to kiss”).

Adjective

thơm • (𦹳, 𬳦, 貪)

1. fragrant, sweet-smelling
2. (chemistry) aromatic

   hiđrôcacbon thơm ― aromatic hydrocarbon

Derived terms

• dầu thơm
• hương thơm
• rau thơm
• thơm lừng
• thơm ngát
• thơm nức
• thơm phức
• thơm tho

Verb

thơm

1. to take a sniff of (a person’s smell) as a mark of affection
2. (colloquial, by extension) to kiss (platonically)

   Synonyms: hôn, hun, mi

Etymology 2

Probably derived from etymology 1.

Noun

(classifier cây, trái, quả) thơm • (𦹳)

1. (Southern Vietnam, Central Vietnam) pineapple

   Synonym: dứa

   Hyponym: khóm

2. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (Southern Vietnam, specifically) the “Cayenne” cultivar of the pineapple