Definition

Noun: 1. Coffee (plant): A tropical shrub or small tree of the genus Coffea, cultivated for its seeds (beans). It is grown in many regions of Vietnam, most notably in the Central Highlands. 2. Coffee (product): The roasted and ground seeds (beans) of the coffee plant, or the beverage made by brewing these grounds with hot water. It has a characteristic aromatic and slightly bitter flavor.

Usage Examples

• As a product/beverage:
  • Tôi uống một ly cà phê mỗi sáng. (I drink a cup of coffee every morning.)
  • Mẹ tôi mua cà phê hạt về tự xay. (My mother buys whole bean coffee to grind herself.)
• Referring to the plant/agriculture:
  • Tây Nguyên là vùng trồng cà phê lớn nhất nước. (The Central Highlands is the largest coffee growing region in the country.)
  • Mùa thu hoạch cà phê bắt đầu vào tháng 10. (The coffee harvest season begins in October.)

Advanced Usage / Specific Contexts

• Color descriptor: Used to describe a light brown color, similar to the color of coffee with milk ().
  • Cô ấy mặc chiếc váy màu cà phê rất thanh lịch. (She wears a very elegant light brown dress.)
• Unit of measurement: "Thìa cà phê" (coffee spoon/teaspoon) is a common informal measurement in cooking and medicine.
  • Công thức này cần hai thìa cà phê đường. (This recipe needs two teaspoons of sugar.)
  • Uống một thìa cà phê thuốc sau bữa ăn. (Take one teaspoon of medicine after the meal.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cà phê phin: Drip coffee, specifically made using a Vietnamese metal drip filter (phin).
• Cà phê sữa: Coffee with condensed milk, a classic Vietnamese style.
• Cà phê đá: Iced black coffee.
• Cà phê bột: Ground coffee.
• Cà phê hòa tan: Instant coffee.
• Quán cà phê: Coffee shop, café.

Synonyms

• Coffea (scientific/botanical term).
• Đen đá (colloquial for - iced black coffee).
• Nâu đá (colloquial for - iced coffee with milk).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Cà phê sáng: Morning coffee (a common routine).
  • Đi uống cà phê sáng không? (Want to go for morning coffee?)
• Cà phê vỉa hè: Sidewalk coffee, referring to the culture of drinking coffee at small, informal street-side stalls.
  • Anh thích không khí của những quán cà phê vỉa hè. (He likes the atmosphere of sidewalk coffee shops.)

noun

1. Coffee
   • nông trường cà phê
     a state coffee plantation
   • hái cà phê
     to gather coffee-beans
   • uống cà phê
     to drink coffee
   • chiếc áo cà phê sữa
     a white-coffee-coloured dress, a light brown dress
   • thìa cà phê
     a coffee-spoon, a tea-spoon
   • một thìa cà phê thuốc
     a tea-spoon (-ful) of medicine