Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ginger: A tropical plant (Zingiber officinale) whose underground stem (rhizome) is widely used as a spice, flavoring, and in traditional medicine. It has a pungent, spicy, and slightly sweet flavor.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Mẹ tôi thường thêm gừng vào món phở. (My mother often adds ginger to pho.)
  • Gừng có thể giúp giảm buồn nôn. (Ginger can help reduce nausea.)
  • Củ gừng này rất tươi. (This piece of ginger is very fresh.)

Advanced Usage

• "Gừng già": Mature/Old ginger. Refers to ginger with a thicker skin, more fibrous texture, and a stronger, more pungent flavor, often preferred for medicinal uses or cooking where a robust flavor is needed.

  • Để làm trà gừng, bạn nên dùng gừng già. (To make ginger tea, you should use mature ginger.)

• "Gừng non" or "Gừng tươi": Young/Fresh ginger. Refers to ginger with thin, delicate skin, a tender texture, and a milder, less spicy flavor, often used in pickles or fresh dishes.

  • Gừng non thích hợp để làm gỏi. (Young ginger is suitable for making salads.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gừng gió (noun): A different plant species, often called "wild ginger" or galangal (Alpinia officinarum), used as a spice and in medicine. It is distinct from common ginger (gừng).

  • Gừng gió thường được dùng trong các bài thuốc Đông y. (Galangal is often used in traditional Eastern medicine remedies.)

• Củ gừng (noun phrase): Ginger root/rhizome. This is the specific edible part of the plant.

  • Bạn cần băm nhỏ củ gừng. (You need to mince the ginger root.)

Synonyms

• Sinh khương (noun): A term from Sino-Vietnamese medicine referring specifically to fresh, unprocessed ginger rhizome.
• Can khương (noun): A term from Sino-Vietnamese medicine referring specifically to dried ginger rhizome.

Related Phrases (Common Collocations)

• Gừng tươi: Fresh ginger.

  • Tôi cần mua một ít gừng tươi. (I need to buy some fresh ginger.)

• Nước gừng: Ginger water/tea.

  • Uống nước gừng ấm vào buổi sáng rất tốt. (Drinking warm ginger tea in the morning is very good.)

• Kẹo gừng: Ginger candy.

  • Cô ấy thích ăn kẹo gừng. (She likes to eat ginger candy.)

Related Idioms

• "Gừng càng già càng cay": Literally "The older the ginger, the spicier it is." This idiom is used to describe people, meaning that with age comes greater experience, wisdom, cunning, or sharpness (the connotation can be positive or negative depending on context).
  • Đừng coi thường ông ấy, gừng càng già càng cay mà. (Don't underestimate him; with age comes greater sharpness.)

noun

1. (bot) ginger
   • củ gừng