Definition

1. Noun:
   • Cartilage: A tough, flexible connective tissue found in various parts of the body, such as joints, the rib cage, the ear, and the nose. It is softer and more elastic than bone.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Đầu gối của tôi bị đau vì tổn thương sụn. (My knee hurts because of a cartilage injury.)
  • Mũi được nâng đỡ bởi sụn, không phải xương. (The nose is supported by cartilage, not bone.)
  • Cá mập có bộ xương làm bằng sụn. (Sharks have a skeleton made of cartilage.)

Advanced Usage

• 'Sụn khớp' (Articular cartilage): The smooth, white tissue that covers the ends of bones where they come together to form joints.

  • Sụn khớp giúp giảm ma sát khi cử động. (Articular cartilage helps reduce friction during movement.)

• 'Sụn sườn' (Costal cartilage): The cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum (breastbone).

  • Chấn thương có thể làm nứt sụn sườn. (An injury can crack the costal cartilage.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sụn sắt: A colloquial term referring to the very tough, elastic cartilage found in some animals, often used in cooking.

  • Món phá lấu thường có sụn sắt. (Vietnamese pork offal stew often contains this type of cartilage.)

• Giòn như sụn: An idiom-like phrase meaning "as crisp/crunchy as cartilage," used to describe a desirable texture in food.

  • Tai heo ngâm chua ngọt ăn giòn như sụn. (Pickled pig's ears have a crunch like cartilage.)

Synonyms

• Chất sụn: Cartilaginous substance (less common).
• Khớp sụn: Cartilaginous joint (a technical term for a type of joint).

Notes on Different Meanings

• The word 'sụn' can also function as a verb in Vietnamese, meaning to feel an aching fatigue in the bones, as if they are about to give way. However, this usage is less common in modern everyday language and is considered a separate lexical item.
  • Đội cái nặng trên vai, tôi thấy sụn cả vai. (Carrying a heavy load on my shoulder, I feel an aching fatigue in my shoulder.)

noun

1. cartilage