A Vietnamese dipping sauce built from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and garlic, usually finished with fresh chile. It differs from plain fish sauce, nuoc mam, in that it is diluted and balanced into a sweet-salty-sour-spicy condiment rather than used straight. Nuoc cham accompanies spring rolls, grilled meats, rice dishes, and noodle soups, and also works as a marinade or salad dressing.