Definition

Noun: 1. Moss: A small, soft, non-vascular plant that typically grows in dense green clumps or mats in damp, shady locations, often on soil, rocks, or tree bark. 2. Lichen: A composite organism arising from a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium, often forming a crust-like, leafy, or branching growth on rocks, walls, or tree trunks. (Note: While scientifically distinct from moss, in common Vietnamese usage, "rêu" can colloquially refer to similar-looking growths, including some lichens and algae).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Những tảng đá cũ phủ đầy rêu. (The old rocks were covered in moss.)
  • Bức tường đá phía bắc của ngôi nhà đã bị rêu bám xanh. (The northern stone wall of the house had turned green with moss/lichen.)
  • Anh ấy thích cảm giác mát lạnh và mềm mại của rêu dưới chân khi đi trong rừng. (He likes the cool, soft feeling of moss underfoot when walking in the forest.)

Advanced Usage

• "đóng rêu": To become moss-grown; to be covered with moss. This phrase is often used metaphorically to describe something very old, unused, or forgotten.
  • Chiếc giếng cổ trong làng đã đóng rêu. (The ancient well in the village had become moss-grown.)
  • Những kiến thức ấy có lẽ đã đóng rêu trong trí nhớ tôi. (That knowledge has probably gathered moss in my memory / I have probably forgotten that knowledge.)
• "rêu rao": (Verb) To spread (news, especially gossip or slander) publicly and widely; to broadcast.
  • Đừng rêu rao chuyện riêng của người khác. (Don't spread gossip about other people's private matters.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rêu bể / Rong rêu: Seaweed; algae. (Note: This is a compound term where "rêu" is part of a larger concept).
• Rêu phong: A poetic compound meaning moss and maple leaves, often used to evoke a sense of antiquity, decay, or the passage of time.
  • Dấu tích rêu phong. (Time-worn traces.)

Synonyms

• Moss: (English) The direct translation for the primary botanical meaning.
• Lichen: (English) For the secondary, common-use meaning.
• Tảo: Algae (a different type of organism, but sometimes confused in appearance).

Related Phrases / Idioms

• "Rêu phủ thềm xưa": Moss covers the old steps. A poetic phrase describing a long-abandoned, ancient place.
• The verb "rêu rao" (to spread gossip) is itself a common idiomatic usage derived from the word "rêu".

noun

1. moss; lichen
   • đóng rêu
     moss-grown
   • rêu bể
     alga