râu mèo
Definition
- Noun:
- Cat's whiskers: A direct translation referring to the long, stiff hairs (vibrissae) on a cat's face that serve as a sensory organ.
- Orthosiphon aristatus: The common name for a medicinal plant species, also known as Java tea or kidney tea. This is the primary botanical and pharmaceutical meaning.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Plant):
- Râu mèo là một loại thảo dược phổ biến. (Cat's whiskers is a common herbal remedy.)
- Bà tôi thường uống trà râu mèo. (My grandmother often drinks Java tea.)
- Noun (Animal):
- Con mèo cụt một bên râu mèo. (The cat is missing one side of its whiskers.)
Advanced Usage
- In botanical and pharmaceutical contexts, "râu mèo" almost exclusively refers to the plant, used for its diuretic and kidney-supporting properties.
Variants and Related Words
- Cây râu mèo (n): Cat's whiskers plant. This compound explicitly specifies the plant.
- Cây râu mèo mọc hoang ở nhiều nơi. (The cat's whiskers plant grows wild in many places.)
Synonyms
- Java tea: A common English name for the herbal tea made from the plant.
- Kidney tea: Another English name highlighting its medicinal use.
- Orthosiphon: The scientific genus name.
- Whiskers: The sensory hairs on an animal (for the literal meaning).
Related Idioms
- There are no common idioms directly using "râu mèo." The term is primarily used in its literal or botanical sense.