Definition

1. Noun:
   • Hippopotamus: A large, mostly herbivorous, semi-aquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is characterized by its barrel-shaped torso, large mouth, and nearly hairless body.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Lợn nước là một loài động vật có vú rất to lớn. (The hippopotamus is a very large mammal.)
  • Chúng tôi đã nhìn thấy một đàn lợn nước ở trong sông. (We saw a pod of hippopotamuses in the river.)
  • Lợn nước có thể trở nên rất hung dữ khi bị đe dọa. (A hippopotamus can become very aggressive when threatened.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "lợn nước" is a compound noun in Vietnamese, literally translating to "water pig," which descriptively references the animal's aquatic habitat and bulky physique.
• It is the standard and most common term for "hippopotamus" in Vietnamese, used in both everyday and scientific contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Hà mã: This is a Sino-Vietnamese word (from Chinese 河馬, "river horse") that is also commonly used as a synonym for "lợn nước".
  • Cả "lợn nước" và "hà mã" đều chỉ cùng một loài động vật. (Both "lợn nước" and "hà mã" refer to the same animal.)

Synonyms

• Hippopotamus: The direct English equivalent.
• Hippo: A common, informal shortening in English.

Related Idioms

• There are no common Vietnamese idioms that specifically feature the word "lợn nước". Descriptions of the animal's behavior, such as being deceptively fast or aggressive, are typically expressed literally.