Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To defecate, to have a bowel movement: A colloquial and somewhat euphemistic term used to describe the act of excreting feces from the body. It is a common, informal expression in daily conversation.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Em bé đang khóc, có lẽ nó muốn đi cầu. (The baby is crying; perhaps it needs to go to the toilet / have a bowel movement.)
  • Anh ấy nói anh ấy phải đi cầu ngay. (He said he has to go to the bathroom right away.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is considered informal and is more appropriate for casual speech among family or close friends than in formal or public settings. It softens the directness of the biological act.

Variants and Related Words

• Đi vệ sinh: A more general and neutral phrase meaning "to go to the toilet/bathroom," which can refer to urination or defecation.
• Đi ngoài: Another common colloquial term for having a bowel movement.
• Đại tiện: A more formal, clinical, or written term for defecation.

Synonyms

• Đi đại tiện: To defecate (formal/medical).
• Đi ngoài: To have a bowel movement (colloquial).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• : To defecate blood; to have bloody stool.
  • Ông ấy lo lắng vì gần đây hay đi cầu ra máu. (He is worried because he has recently had bloody stool.)

Related Idioms

• While "đi cầu" itself is not typically used in idioms, the act is sometimes referenced in folk sayings about health or bodily functions, emphasizing its fundamental nature.

1. (địa phương) Go to stool