Definition

Noun: * Banana tree/plant: A tropical plant (Musa spp.) that produces large, elongated, edible fruits (bananas). The term specifically refers to the entire plant, including the trunk-like pseudostem and large leaves, rather than just the fruit.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong vườn nhà tôi có nhiều cây ba tiêu. (There are many banana trees in my garden.)
  • Lá ba tiêu rất to và thường được dùng để gói bánh. (Banana plant leaves are very large and are often used to wrap cakes.)
  • Thân cây ba tiêu mềm và chứa nhiều nước. (The trunk of the banana tree is soft and contains a lot of water.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "ba tiêu" is considered somewhat literary or archaic in modern Vietnamese. In everyday speech, "cây chuối" is the more common and neutral term for "banana tree/plant".
• It can appear in classical poetry, folk songs, or formal writing to evoke a traditional or rustic image.
  • Bóng ba tiêu nghiêng che mái tranh. (The shadow of the banana tree slants, covering the thatched roof.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chuối (noun): This is the standard, modern word for both the banana fruit and the banana plant. It is used in all contexts.
• Quả chuối / Trái chuối (noun): Specifically refers to the banana fruit.
• Buồng chuối (noun): A bunch of bananas (the entire cluster growing on the tree).
• Nải chuối (noun): A hand of bananas (a subsection of a bunch).

Synonyms

• Cây chuối: Banana tree/plant (the direct and most common synonym).

noun

1. Banana-tree