Definition

1. Noun (Botany):

   • Willow: A type of deciduous tree or shrub, typically characterized by narrow leaves and slender, flexible branches. Often planted for ornamental purposes, especially near water.
   • Willow tree: Refers specifically to the plant itself.

2. Noun (Figurative/Literary):

   • A slender, graceful woman: In classical Vietnamese poetry and literature, "liễu" (willow) is a conventional metaphor used to describe a woman's slender, delicate, and graceful physique or her fragile destiny.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Botany):

  • Những cây liễu rủ bên hồ rất đẹp. (The weeping willows by the lake are very beautiful.)
  • Cành liễu rất mềm và dẻo. (Willow branches are very soft and pliable.)

• Noun (Figurative):

  • Thân phận liễu bồng. (The fate of a frail woman.)
  • Vóc dáng liễu yếu đào tơ. (A slender, delicate youthful figure.)

Advanced Usage

• "liễu rủ": weeping willow.

  • Khu vườn có hàng liễu rủ ven ao. (The garden has a row of weeping willows along the pond.)

• "liễu bồng": a poetic compound referring to the willow and the rose mallow, used to evoke the image of delicate, beautiful women.

  • Câu thơ ca ngợi vẻ đẹp liễu bồng. (The poem praises the beauty of delicate women.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dương liễu (n): Another term for willow tree, often used in more formal or botanical contexts.
  • Dương liễu thường được nhắc đến trong thơ cổ. (Willows are often mentioned in ancient poetry.)

Synonyms

• Willow: The direct botanical equivalent.
• Sallow: An archaic or poetic English term for certain types of willow.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Liễu ngõ hoa tường: (Literally: willow by the gate, flower by the wall) A classical idiom describing a woman of easy virtue or promiscuous morals.

  • Câu chuyện nhắc đến hình ảnh liễu ngõ hoa tường. (The story mentions the image of a woman of easy virtue.)

• Phận liễu bồng: The fate/destiny of a delicate woman (often implying vulnerability or a hard life).

  • Bà ấy than thở về phận liễu bồng của mình. (She lamented her fate as a vulnerable woman.)

noun

1. (bot) willow
   • cây liễu
     willow tree