Definition

Noun: 1. Cacao tree: A tropical tree (Theobroma cacao) that produces large, ribbed pods containing seeds. 2. Cacao seeds/beans: The seeds (beans) from the cacao tree, used to make cocoa and chocolate. 3. Cocoa powder: The processed, often roasted and ground, powder made from cacao seeds, used for making drinks or flavoring food.

Usage Examples

• As a tree:
  • Cây ca cao được trồng nhiều ở Tây Nguyên. (The cacao tree is widely cultivated in the Central Highlands.)
• As seeds/beans:
  • Hạt ca cao sau khi thu hoạch cần được lên men và phơi khô. (After harvesting, cacao beans need to be fermented and dried.)
• As a powder/drink:
  • Mỗi sáng, tôi thường uống một ly ca cao nóng. (Every morning, I usually drink a cup of hot cocoa.)
  • Bánh được làm từ bột ca cao nguyên chất. (The cake is made from pure cocoa powder.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bột ca cao": This phrase specifically refers to cocoa powder. It distinguishes the powdered product from the raw beans or the tree.
  • Công thức này yêu cầu hai thìa bột ca cao. (This recipe requires two tablespoons of cocoa powder.)
• "Hạt ca cao": This phrase specifically refers to cacao beans/seeds.
  • Giá hạt ca cao trên thị trường thế giới đang biến động. (The price of cacao beans on the world market is fluctuating.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sô-cô-la (chocolate): The solid food product made by processing cacao beans with sugar and other ingredients. While related, "sô-cô-la" is the final product, not a direct variant of "ca cao".
• Bơ ca cao (cocoa butter): The natural, edible fat extracted from cacao beans.

Synonyms

• Cacao: This is the direct English equivalent, often used in botanical or commercial contexts for the tree and its raw seeds.
• Cocoa: This is the common English term for the processed powder and the drink made from it. In Vietnamese usage, "ca cao" covers both "cacao" and "cocoa" meanings.

Notes on Meaning

The word "ca cao" in Vietnamese encompasses the entire product chain from the tree to the final powdered drink ingredient. The specific meaning is determined by context: 1. When discussing agriculture, it usually means the cacao tree or its seeds. 2. When discussing food or drinks, it usually means the processed cocoa powder or the cocoa drink itself.

noun

1. (bot) Cacao
   • há»™t ca cao
     cacao-seed