Definition

1. Noun:
   • Dandruff, scurf: "Gầu" refers to small, white or grayish flakes of dead skin that form on the scalp and sometimes appear in the hair or on clothing.
   • Brisket: In Vietnamese cuisine, "gầu" specifically refers to the fatty, meaty cut from the chest or brisket of a cow, often used in dishes like phở.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Dandruff):

  • Anh ấy bị gầu nhiều nên phải dùng dầu gội đặc trị. (He has a lot of dandruff, so he has to use a special shampoo.)
  • Gầu trắng rơi trên vai áo đen rất dễ thấy. (White dandruff falling on black shoulders is very noticeable.)

• Noun (Brisket):

  • Tôi thích ăn phở bò với nhiều gầu. (I like to eat beef phở with a lot of brisket.)
  • Phần gầu bò có cả nạc lẫn mỡ, ăn rất thơm và béo. (The beef brisket has both lean meat and fat, making it very fragrant and rich to eat.)

Advanced Usage

• "Gầu đầu": This phrase explicitly specifies scalp dandruff, though "gầu" alone is commonly understood in this context.
  • Mùa đông da khô khiến tình trạng gầu đầu của cô ấy nặng hơn. (Dry skin in winter makes her scalp dandruff condition worse.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gàu: This is an alternative, common spelling for "gầu" when referring to dandruff. The two forms are often used interchangeably.
  • Dầu gội trị gàu (Anti-dandruff shampoo)

Synonyms

• Dandruff / Scurf: The direct English equivalents for "gầu" when referring to flaky scalp skin.
• Brisket: The direct English equivalent for "gầu" when referring to the cut of beef. "Beef brisket" is a common translation.

Related Phrases

• Bị gầu / Có gầu: To have dandruff.
  • Tóc anh ấy trông rất sạch sẽ, không có vẻ bị gầu. (His hair looks very clean, he doesn't seem to have dandruff.)
• Phở gầu: Phở with beef brisket.
  • Quán này nổi tiếng với món phở gầu. (This restaurant is famous for its brisket phở.)

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "gầu" has two distinct and common meanings in Vietnamese: 1. A common skin condition (dandruff). 2. A specific culinary ingredient (beef brisket).

The intended meaning is almost always clear from the context (e.g., talking about hair/scalp vs. talking about food). There is no direct conceptual link between these two meanings.

1. Dandruff, scurf