nửa nạc nửa mỡ
[nɨə˧˩ naːk̚˧˨ʔ nɨə˧˩ məː˦ˀ˥]
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
(noun) half meat, half fat
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗
Sense 2
Meaning · English
(noun) an unsightly middle ground, something that's not quite one thing but not exactly the other either, resulting from half-assing
Examples
Làm thì làm cho đến nơi đến chốn, đừng có để nửa nạc nửa mỡ như thế !If you're gonna do something, put good effort into it, don't just half-ass it!
Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Common questions
What does “nửa nạc nửa mỡ” mean?
(noun) half meat, half fat
Is “nửa nạc nửa mỡ” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.