kén
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- Cocoon: A protective case of silk or similar fiber spun by the larvae of certain insects, especially silkworms, to shelter themselves during metamorphosis.
- Follicle / Cyst: A small sac, cavity, or gland in the body; in pathology, it can refer to an abnormal, closed sac-like structure (cyst) within tissue.
Verb:
- To choose / To select: To pick out or select from a number of alternatives with care and deliberation, often implying high standards or being particular.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Con tằm nhả tơ để quấn thành kén. (The silkworm spins silk to wrap itself into a cocoon.)
- Bác sĩ phát hiện một kén nhỏ trên buồng trứng. (The doctor discovered a small cyst on the ovary.)
Verb:
- Cô ấy rất kén ăn. (She is very picky about food.)
- Công ty đang kén những ứng viên xuất sắc nhất. (The company is selecting the most outstanding candidates.)
Advanced Usage
- The verb "kén" often carries a connotation of being choosy, fastidious, or hard to please. It is frequently used in a slightly critical sense to describe someone who is overly selective.
- Tính anh ấy kén lắm, không dễ hợp tác đâu. (He is very particular, not easy to cooperate with.)
Variants and Related Words
- Kén chồng (verb phrase): Literally "to choose a husband"; refers to a woman being very selective in choosing a marriage partner.
- Cô ấy kén chồng nên vẫn chưa lập gia đình. (She is choosy about finding a husband, so she is still not married.)
- Kén cá chọn canh (idiomatic verb phrase): Literally "to choose the fish and select the broth"; means to be extremely meticulous and fussy when choosing.
Synonyms
- Choose, Select, Pick: To make a choice.
- Picky, Fussy, Particular: (Adjective forms describing the nature of being selective).
- Cocoon: The silken case.
- Cyst, Follicle: The anatomical sac.
Related Idioms
- Kén cá chọn canh: To be extremely choosy; to nitpick.
- Đừng có kén cá chọn canh mãi, cái nào tốt thì lấy đi. (Stop being so fussy; just take whichever one is good.)
- Già kén kẹn hom: A proverb meaning one who is overly choosy may end up with the worst option (similar to "pick of the litter" ending with the worst).
verb
- to choose; to select
- kén chồngto choose a husband