goldfish

/'gouldfiʃ/

Thân thiện

A child feeds a goldfish in a small round aquarium.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, typically golden or orange-red freshwater fish (Carassius auratus), native to East Asia but widely kept in ponds and aquariums around the world.

Usage

• The word "goldfish" is a countable noun. Its plural form is "goldfish" (unchanged).
• It is used to refer to the fish as a species or as individual pets.
• Example: "I have one goldfish in a bowl." / "The pond is stocked with many colorful goldfish."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The child won a goldfish at the fair.
  • Many people believe goldfish have very short memories, but this is a myth.
  • She feeds her goldfish twice a day.

Advanced Usage

• "Goldfish bowl": Literally, a bowl for keeping goldfish. Figuratively, it describes a situation where one has no privacy, as if living in a glass bowl.
  • Celebrities often feel like they live in a goldfish bowl.
• "Goldfish memory": A humorous or critical idiom referring to a very poor or short memory.
  • I have a goldfish memory for names; I forget them as soon as I hear them.

Variants and Related Words

• Golden (adj): Made of, relating to, or having the color of gold. (While "golden" is related in color description, it is not a direct variant of "goldfish").
• Gold (n): A precious yellow metal. (The first part of the compound word "goldfish" refers to this color).

Synonyms

• Carassius auratus: The scientific name for the goldfish.
• Aquarium fish: A general term for fish kept in tanks; goldfish are a common type.

Related Phrases

• "Like a goldfish": Used in similes to describe someone or something with a very small capacity or short attention span.
  • He has a brain like a goldfish.
• "To feel like a goldfish in a bowl": To feel overly observed and lacking privacy.
  • Working in the open-plan office made her feel like a goldfish in a bowl.

Học thuật

Noun

1. small golden or orange-red freshwater fishes of Eurasia used as pond or aquarium fishes

Từ đồng nghĩa

• carassius auratus