Definition

Noun: 1. A type of tall, grass-like plant: Specifically, the common reed (Phragmites australis), a perennial plant that grows in wetlands, marshes, and along riverbanks. It has a tall, hollow, jointed stem, long leaves, and feathery flower plumes. 2. The stem of this plant: Referring to the hollow, cylindrical stalk of the reed plant, which is used for various practical purposes.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Plant):
  • Đầm lầy phủ đầy sậy. (The marsh is covered with reeds.)
  • Gió thổi qua bãi sậy tạo nên âm thanh vi vu. (The wind blowing through the reed bed creates a rustling sound.)
• Noun (Material):
  • Mái nhà tranh được lợp bằng sậy. (The thatched roof is made of reeds.)
  • Người ta dùng thân sậy để đan chiếu. (People use reed stems to weave mats.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bãi sậy" / "Đầm sậy": A reed bed or marsh; a large area where reeds grow densely.
  • Khu bảo tồn có nhiều đầm sậy là nơi trú ngụ của các loài chim. (The nature reserve has many reed marshes that are habitats for birds.)
• Figurative use for thin legs: "Chân ống sậy" is an idiom describing very thin legs, likening them to reed stems.
  • Cậu bé có đôi chân ống sậy. (The boy has spindly legs (lit. legs like reed pipes).)

Variants and Related Words

• Lau sậy: A common compound term also meaning "reed," sometimes used to refer to similar wetland plants like cattails or bulrushes in a general sense.
  • Ven hồ mọc um tùm lau sậy. (The lakeshore is densely overgrown with reeds and rushes.)
• Sậy rừng: Refers to specific tall, reed-like grasses or bamboo found in forests.

Synonyms

• Cây lau: A general term for tall, grass-like plants in wetlands, often used interchangeably with "sậy" but can include plants like cattails.
• Lác (in some regional contexts): May refer to sedges or certain types of rushes.

Related Idioms

• Chân ống sậy: (Idiom) Spindly legs; legs as thin as reed stems.
  • Anh ta cao nhưng lại có chân ống sậy. (He is tall but has spindly legs.)

noun

1. reed