Definition

1. Noun:
   • Amphibians: "Ếch nhái" refers to amphibians, a class of cold-blooded vertebrates that typically have four limbs, moist skin without scales, and a life cycle that includes both aquatic and terrestrial stages.
   • Frogs and toads (general/colloquial): In common usage, "ếch nhái" is a broad term for frog-like and toad-like creatures.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong ao có nhiều ếch nhái. (There are many amphibians in the pond.)
  • Ếch nhái là động vật lưỡng cư. (Amphibians are animals that live both on land and in water.)
  • Tiếng ếch nhái kêu vang khắp cánh đồng sau cơn mưa. (The sound of frogs croaking echoed across the field after the rain.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ếch nhái" as a collective term: Used to refer to the general group of anurans (tailless amphibians), often including frogs, toads, and similar creatures.
  • Khu bảo tồn này là nơi sinh sống của nhiều loài ếch nhái quý hiếm. (This reserve is home to many rare species of amphibians.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ếch (n): Frog. Specifically refers to frogs, which are typically smoother and more aquatic.
  • Con ếch đang ngồi trên lá sen. (The frog is sitting on a lotus leaf.)
• Nhái (n): Refers to certain types of smaller frogs or toads. Sometimes used interchangeably with "ếch" but can imply a smaller size or different species.
  • Con nhái nhảy rất nhanh. (The small frog jumps very quickly.)
• Cóc (n): Toad. Typically refers to toads, which often have drier, wartier skin and are more terrestrial.
  • Con cóc có da sần sùi. (The toad has bumpy skin.)
• Lưỡng cư (n): The formal scientific/biological term for amphibians.
  • Ếch và cóc đều thuộc lớp lưỡng cư. (Frogs and toads both belong to the amphibian class.)

Synonyms

• Động vật lưỡng cư: Amphibians (formal term).
• Loài lưỡng cư: Amphibian species.

Related Phrases

• Ếch nhái ộp oạp: An onomatopoeic phrase describing the croaking sound made by frogs and toads.
  • Đêm hè nghe tiếng ếch nhái ộp oạp. (On summer nights, you can hear the croaking of frogs.)
• Con ếch ngồi đáy giếng: A Vietnamese idiom ("A frog sitting at the bottom of a well") meaning someone with a very limited worldview or experience.
  • Anh ta chẳng biết gì về thế giới bên ngoài, đúng là con ếch ngồi đáy giếng. (He knows nothing about the outside world, he's like a frog in a well.)

noun

1. amphibians