Definition

1. Noun:

   • Bowel; intestine; entrails: The internal organ that is part of the digestive tract from the stomach to the anus.
   • Core; inner part: The central or internal part of certain objects.
   • Heart; innermost feelings (figurative): Used to symbolize deep emotions or the center of one's feelings.

2. Adjective (used postpositively after a noun indicating a family relationship):

   • Biological; blood (relative): Describes a direct, consanguineous family relationship, such as between parents and children or among siblings who share both parents.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Intestine):

  • Anh ấy bị đau ruột. (He has an intestinal pain.)
  • Phẫu thuật cắt bỏ một đoạn ruột. (Surgery to remove a section of the intestine.)

• Noun (Core/Inner part):

  • Ruột bút bi này đã hết mực. (The ink refill of this ballpoint pen is empty.)
  • Chỉ ăn phần ruột bánh mì thôi. (Only eat the soft inner part of the bread.)

• Noun (Figurative: Heart/Feelings):

  • Nghe tin ấy, ruột tôi thắt lại. (Hearing that news, my heart sank.)
  • Cô ấy là người thẳng ruột ngựa. (She is a frank and straightforward person.)

• Adjective (Biological relative):

  • Họ là anh em ruột. (They are biological brothers.)
  • Đây là chú ruột của tôi. (This is my paternal uncle [father's biological brother].)

Advanced Usage

• "ruột gan": Literally "intestines and liver," figuratively meaning one's innermost feelings and thoughts.

  • Tôi có thể tâm sự mọi chuyện ruột gan với cô ấy. (I can confide all my innermost thoughts to her.)

• "ruột rà": An affectionate term emphasizing a close, blood-related family bond.

  • Dù sao cũng là người ruột rà, nên giúp đỡ nhau. (After all, they are blood relatives, so they should help each other.)

• "nóng ruột": To feel anxious, impatient, or worried.

  • Chờ mãi không thấy tin, tôi nóng ruột quá. (Waiting for news for so long, I'm getting very anxious.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ruột non (n): Small intestine.
• Ruột già (n): Large intestine.
• Ruột thừa (n): Appendix (organ).
• Họ hàng ruột thịt (n phrase): Blood relatives; kin.

Synonyms

• Lòng (n): Can mean "intestines" or, more commonly, "heart/mind" in a figurative sense (e.g., - sincerely).
• Gan ruột (n phrase): Similar to "ruột gan," meaning one's deepest sentiments.
• Máu mủ (n phrase): Blood and pus; metaphor for blood relations.

Related Phrases (Idioms/Collocations)

• "thẳng ruột ngựa": To be frank, blunt, and honest.

  • Tính anh ấy thẳng ruột ngựa, nói gì nghĩ đó. (He has a frank character, saying exactly what he thinks.)

• "xót ruột": To feel heartache, pity, or distress (over someone's misfortune).

  • Nhìn cảnh đó ai cũng xót ruột. (Looking at that scene, everyone felt heartache.)

• "ruột để ngoài da": To wear one's heart on one's sleeve; to be very open with one's feelings.

  • Cô ấy là người ruột để ngoài da, dễ vui cũng dễ buồn. (She wears her heart on her sleeve, easily happy but also easily sad.)

• "tức lộn ruột": To be extremely angry or frustrated.

  • Nghe lời nói vô lý ấy, tôi tức lộn ruột. (Hearing that unreasonable statement made me furious.)

1. danh từ bowel; intestine; entrails