chù

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Shrew: A small, mouse-like mammal with a pointed snout, belonging to the family Soricidae. It is an insectivore, not a rodent.
   • Shrewmouse: Another term for a shrew.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Con chù chạy rất nhanh. (The shrew runs very fast.)
  • Chù là loài động vật ăn côn trùng. (The shrew is an insect-eating animal.)

Advanced Usage

• "chuột chù": The most common compound term, specifically meaning "shrew".
  • Trong vườn có một con chuột chù. (There is a shrew in the garden.)

Variants and Related Words

• Chuột chù (n): The standard and most frequently used term for "shrew". This is a compound noun where "chù" is the specific component.
• Chuột (n): Mouse; rat. This is the general term for rodent-like animals, forming the base of the compound "chuột chù".

Synonyms

• Sóc (n): Shrew (a less common, more scientific synonym).
• Chuột xạ (n): Literally "musk rat/mouse", sometimes used regionally for certain shrew species.

Notes on Meaning

• The word "chù" is almost never used in isolation in modern Vietnamese. It is a bound morpheme that primarily exists within the compound noun "chuột chù".
• Using "chù" alone is highly unusual and would likely not be understood. The reference definition correctly points to "chuột chù" as the complete, functional term.