Definition

Noun: - A sow raised for breeding: A mature female pig specifically kept and raised for the purpose of producing piglets.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trại chăn nuôi mới nhập về mười con heo nái giống tốt. (The farm has just imported ten breeding sows of good stock.)
  • Heo nái cần được chăm sóc đặc biệt trong thời kỳ mang thai. (A breeding sow requires special care during pregnancy.)

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Agricultural Context: The term is used almost exclusively in farming, livestock, and agricultural contexts to distinguish a female pig used for reproduction from those raised for meat (heo thịt) or as pets.
  • Việc chọn lọc heo nái là bước quan trọng để cải thiện đàn con. (Selecting breeding sows is an important step in improving the litter.)

Variants and Related Words

• Heo (n): Pig, swine. The general term.
• Heo cái (n): Female pig. A more general term for any female pig.
• Heo thịt (n): Pig raised for pork, hog.
• Heo con (n): Piglet.
• Lợn nái (n): A synonym, where "lợn" is the northern Vietnamese equivalent of "heo".

Synonyms

• Lợn nái (n): The direct synonym, identical in meaning but using the northern Vietnamese word for pig.
• Sow (n): The direct English translation.

Notes on Meaning

• The word "nái" specifically indicates the animal's primary function is breeding. It is not used for a female pig that has not yet bred or is not intended for breeding.
• This is a compound noun where "heo" means pig and "nái" specifies its breeding purpose. It is treated as a single lexical unit in Vietnamese.

noun

1. sow raised for breeding