The Vietnamese word "liếm" is a verb that means "to lick" or "to lap." It describes the action of using your tongue to touch or move over something, often to taste or moisten it.
Usage Instructions:
"Liếm" is commonly used when talking about animals licking their food or people licking their fingers or lips.
You can use "liếm" with objects or body parts, such as "liếm môi" (to lick one's lips) or "liếm tay" (to lick one's hand).
Examples:
Liếm môi - "To lick one's lips"
Liếm kem - "To lick ice cream"
Advanced Usage:
In a more figurative sense, "liếm" can also refer to the act of lightly touching or brushing against something with the tongue. For example, you might say "liếm vết thương" (to lick a wound) in a sense of animals cleaning their injuries.
Word Variants:
Liếm láp: This phrase can be used interchangeably with "liếm" but often suggests a more pronounced or repetitive action of licking.
Liếm sạch: This means "to lick clean," indicating that something has been thoroughly licked, leaving no residue.
Different Meanings:
While "liếm" primarily refers to licking, it can also imply a sense of savoring or enjoying something, such as in a context where someone is enjoying a good meal or treat.
Synonyms:
Làm ướt: This means "to wet" and can be used in a similar context, though it is more general and not exclusively tied to licking.
Mút: This translates to "suck" but can sometimes be used in contexts where licking is involved, particularly when sucking on a hard candy or ice.