Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of freshwater fish: "cá thia" refers to a small, colorful freshwater fish, specifically of the genus Macropodus, commonly kept in aquariums. It is also known as the paradise fish.
   • A fighting fish: Historically, "cá thia" can refer to fish bred for fighting, similar to Siamese fighting fish, due to their aggressive nature towards each other.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Hồ cá của tôi có vài con cá thia rất đẹp. (My aquarium has some very beautiful paradise fish.)
  • Cá thia là loài cá cảnh phổ biến ở Việt Nam. (The paradise fish is a common ornamental fish in Vietnam.)
  • Ngày xưa, người ta thường tổ chức chọi cá thia. (In the past, people often organized paradise fish fights.)

Advanced Usage

• "cá thia lia": A variant or emphatic form, sometimes used to refer to the same fish, emphasizing its quick, darting movements.
  • Nhìn đàn cá thia lia trong hồ kính kìa! (Look at the school of paradise fish darting in the glass tank!)

Variants and Related Words

• cá thia thia: A fuller, more traditional name for the same fish.
  • Cá thia thia có màu sắc sặc sỡ. (The paradise fish has brilliant colors.)
• cá cờ: Another common Vietnamese name for fish in the genus and related genera, often used interchangeably.
  • Cá cờ cũng là tên gọi khác của cá thia. ("Cá cờ" is another name for the paradise fish.)
• Macropodus: The scientific genus name.
  • Macropodus opercularis là loài cá thia phổ biến nhất. (Macropodus opercularis is the most common species of paradise fish.)

Synonyms

• Paradise fish: The common English name.
• Gourami: A broader family of fish (Osphronemidae) to which the paradise fish belongs. (Note: "cá thia" specifically refers to the genus within gouramis.)

Related Phrases

• chọi cá thia: (to) fight paradise fish; the activity of pitting male paradise fish against each other.
  • Chọi cá thia từng là thú tiêu khiển phổ biến. (Paradise fish fighting was once a popular pastime.)
• nuôi cá thia: (to) keep/raise paradise fish.
  • Ông ấy có kinh nghiệm nhiều năm trong việc nuôi cá thia. (He has many years of experience in keeping paradise fish.)

1. Macropodus