Definition

1. Noun:
   • Crab soup: A traditional Vietnamese soup or broth made primarily from pounded crab, often including crab meat, tomatoes, and herbs. It is typically served with rice noodles (bún) or rice.
   • Superficial attractiveness / flashy appearance: A figurative, often critical, meaning describing something that looks appealing or rich on the surface but lacks substance or quality.

Usage Examples

• Noun (literal meaning):

  • Hôm nay, mẹ tôi nấu riêu cua. (Today, my mother is cooking crab soup.)
  • Bún riêu cua là một món ăn ngon. (Crab noodle soup is a delicious dish.)

• Noun (figurative meaning):

  • Căn nhà ấy chỉ có vẻ màu mỡ riêu cua thôi. (That house only has a superficially rich appearance.)
  • Đừng bị đánh lừa bởi vẻ riêu cua bên ngoài. (Don't be fooled by the flashy exterior.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is most commonly used in the compound dish name "bún riêu cua" (crab noodle soup). In this context, "riêu cua" refers specifically to the crab-based soup topping or broth.

Variants and Related Words

• Bún riêu cua (n): A complete Vietnamese noodle soup dish featuring crab soup (riêu cua), noodles, tofu, and vegetables.
• Canh cua (n): A more general term for crab soup, which may be simpler or prepared differently from "riêu cua."

Synonyms

• Crab broth: For the literal meaning.
• Surface gloss / veneer: For the figurative meaning.

Related Idioms

• Màu mỡ riêu cua: An idiom directly using the figurative sense, meaning a deceptively rich or flashy appearance.
  • Lời hứa của hắn chỉ là màu mỡ riêu cua. (His promises are just a superficial veneer.)

noun

1. crab soup