Definition

1. Noun:
   • Wagtail (bird): A small, slender songbird belonging to the family Motacillidae, characterized by its long, constantly wagging tail and often found near water.
   • Lime spatula (archaic/regional): A small stick or spatula traditionally used to apply slaked lime onto betel leaves when preparing betel quids.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Bird):
  • Con chìa vôi đang đậu trên cành cây. (The wagtail is perched on the tree branch.)
  • Tiếng hót của chìa vôi rất trong trẻo. (The wagtail's song is very clear.)
• Noun (Tool):
  • Bà tôi vẫn giữ cái chìa vôi bằng ngà ngày xưa. (My grandmother still keeps the old ivory lime spatula.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "chìa vôi" is primarily used in modern Vietnamese to refer to the bird. The meaning referring to the betel preparation tool is now largely archaic or used in specific regional or historical contexts.
• In ornithology, specific types of wagtails are often distinguished by color patterns, e.g., chìa vôi trắng (white wagtail), chìa vôi vàng (yellow wagtail).

Variants and Related Words

• Họ Chìa vôi (Motacillidae): The wagtail family, which also includes pipits.
• Chim chìa vôi: Another common way to refer to the wagtail bird, explicitly including the word for bird ("chim").

Synonyms

• Chim:
  • Bergeronnette (French loanword, literary): Wagtail.
  • Hochequeue (French loanword, literary): Wagtail (literally "tail-shaker").
• Công cụ (Tool):
  • Que vôi: Lime stick (a more generic term).

Related Phrases

• Chim chìa vôi hót véo von: The wagtail sings melodiously. (A common descriptive phrase in literature and folk songs.)
• Nhảy nhót như chìa vôi: To hop/jump about like a wagtail. (An idiom describing restless, quick movements.)

1. Wagtail (chim)