Definition

1. Noun:

   • Areca, betel nut: A type of palm tree (Areca catechu) with a slender trunk and leaves only at the top. Its fruit, also called "cau," is chewed with betel leaf and lime in the traditional custom of chewing betel quid.

2. Verb:

   • To knit (one's brows), to scowl, to frown: To contract the muscles of the forehead and eyebrows, often expressing concentration, worry, anger, or displeasure.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Đất thiếu trồng dừa, đất thừa trồng cau. (When land is scarce, plant coconuts; when land is plentiful, plant areca palms.)
  • Mẹ mua một buồng cau. (Mother bought a bunch of areca nuts.)

• Verb:

  • Anh ấy cau mày suy nghĩ. (He knitted his brows in thought.)
  • Đừng cau mặt như vậy. (Don't scowl like that.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb "cau" is almost exclusively used to describe the action of frowning or scowling, typically forming phrases like "cau mày" (to knit one's brows) or "cau mặt" (to have a scowling face). It is a descriptive verb for facial expressions.

Variants and Related Words

• Cau có (adj): Sullen, grumpy, having a scowling and unfriendly expression.

  • Sao anh trông cau có thế? (Why do you look so sullen?)

• Nhăn mặt (v): To grimace (often due to pain or distaste, a broader facial contortion than "cau").

• Nhíu mày (v): To furrow one's brows (a close synonym to "cau mày").

Synonyms

• Noun: Areca nut, betel nut.
• Verb: To frown, to scowl, to knit one's brows.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Cau mày nặng trĩu: To be deeply worried or burdened, shown by a heavy frown.

  • Nghe tin ấy, ông ấy cau mày nặng trĩu. (Hearing that news, he frowned heavily with worry.)

• Mặt cau như khỉ ăn ớt: (Simile) A face scowling like a monkey eating chili; meaning to look very irritated or angry.

  • Đừng có mặt cau như khỉ ăn ớt! (Don't make a face like a monkey eating chili!)

noun

1. Areca, betel-nut
   • đất thiếu trồng dừa, đất thừa trồng cau
     when short of land, grow coconut-trees; when with land to spare, grow areca-nut
   • buồng cau
     a bunch of areca-nut

verb

1. To knit (one's brows), to scowl, to frown
   • cau mày suy nghĩ
     to knit one's brows thinking
   • cau mặt
     to scowl