Definition

1. Noun:
   • Houttuynia cordata: A perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Saururaceae family, native to Southeast Asia. It is characterized by heart-shaped leaves, a distinctive strong, fishy odor, and small white flowers. It is widely used in traditional medicine and as a culinary herb, especially in Vietnamese cuisine.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Diếp cá thường được dùng làm rau sống. (Houttuynia is often used as a fresh herb.)
  • Lá diếp cá có mùi rất đặc trưng. (Houttuynia leaves have a very distinctive smell.)
  • Nước ép từ cây diếp cá được cho là có tác dụng giải nhiệt. (Juice from the houttuynia plant is believed to have cooling properties.)

Advanced Usage

• "rau diếp cá": This common compound phrase specifies the plant's use as a vegetable or herb.
  • Món bún chả thường ăn kèm với rau diếp cá. (Bun cha is often served with houttuynia herb.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cây giấp cá: A less common variant name for the same plant.
• Diếp cá is the standard and most widely used term.

Synonyms

• Houttuynia cordata: The scientific botanical name.
• Fish mint: A common English name referring to its odor.
• Chameleon plant: Another English name referring to its variegated leaf varieties.
• Lá giấp: A shortened, colloquial form sometimes used.

Related Phrases

• Uống nước diếp cá: To drink houttuynia juice (often for medicinal purposes).
  • Khi bị nóng trong, nhiều người uống nước diếp cá. (When suffering from internal heat, many people drink houttuynia juice.)

Related Idioms

Note: There are no common idioms in Vietnamese that use the word "diếp cá" as a metaphorical element. Its usage is almost exclusively literal, referring to the plant itself.

1. (thực vật) Houttuynia