câu

Friendly

The Vietnamese word "câu" is a versatile noun that can have several meanings depending on the context. Here’s a breakdown to help you understand how to use it:

Basic Meanings:

1. Young Horse:

   • "Câu" can refer to a young horse, specifically a colt, filly, or foal.
   • Example: When talking about animals, you might say "Bóng câu qua cửa sổ," which translates to "The shadow of a foal flashing by a window." This phrase suggests something fleeting or momentary.

2. Sentence or Phrase:

   • In language, "câu" refers to a sentence or phrase.
   • Example: "Đặt câu" means "to build a sentence." You can use this when you are constructing sentences in Vietnamese.
   • Another example is "Nói chưa hết câu," which means "to have hardly finished a sentence." This can be used when someone is interrupted while speaking.

3. Line or Verse:

   • "Câu" can also refer to a line or verse in poetry or writing.
   • Example: "Bài thơ tám câu" means "an eight-line poem." This is useful when discussing poetry or literature.

Advanced Usage:

• Understanding Context: The meaning of "câu" can change based on the context. For instance, in a conversation about literature, it will likely refer to a sentence or verse, while in a conversation about animals, it will refer to a young horse.
• Idiomatic Expressions: "Nghe câu được câu chăng" means "to understand one sentence here, one sentence there," indicating a lack of full comprehension.

Word Variants:

• Câu hỏi: This means "question." It combines "câu" with "hỏi," which means "to ask."
• Câu trả lời: This means "answer." It combines "câu" with "trả lời," which means "to respond."

Synonyms:

• For "câu" in the sense of a sentence, you can use:
  • "Câu văn" (sentence structure)
  • "Đoạn" (paragraph or passage)

Different Meanings:

• Câu can have different meanings based on its usage:
  • As noted, it can mean a young horse, a sentence, or a line in poetry.
  • In certain contexts, it can also refer to a fishing line or a "hook" in informal speech.

Academic

noun

1. Colt, filly, foal
   • bóng câu qua cửa sổ
     the shadow of a foal flashing by a window; a fleeting thing
2. Dove
   • chim câu trắng
     a white dove
3. Sentence
   • đặt câu
     to build a sentence
   • nói chưa hết câu
     to have hardly finished a sentence
   • nghe câu được câu chăng
     to understand one sentence here one sentence there, to miss half of what one hears
4. Line, verse
   • bài thơ tám câu