Definition

1. Noun:
   • Lotus: A type of aquatic plant (genus Nelumbo) that grows in ponds and lakes, known for its large, beautiful flowers (often pink or white), round leaves that float on the water's surface, and edible seeds.
   • (Archaic) Maidservant: A young female domestic servant, a term used primarily in affluent households before the mid-20th century.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Lotus):
  • Hoa sen nở vào mùa hè. (The lotus flower blooms in summer.)
  • Trà sen có mùi thơm rất dễ chịu. (Lotus tea has a very pleasant fragrance.)
  • Hạt sen dùng để nấu chè. (Lotus seeds are used to make sweet soup.)
• Noun (Maidservant):
  • Trong truyện cổ, cô gái nghèo phải đi làm con sen cho một gia đình giàu có. (In the old story, the poor girl had to work as a maidservant for a wealthy family.)

Advanced Usage

• "tâm sen": The embryo or "heart" of a lotus seed, often used in traditional medicine and tea for its believed calming properties.
  • Uống trà tâm sen giúp ngủ ngon. (Drinking lotus heart tea helps you sleep well.)
• "lá sen": Lotus leaf, used in cooking to wrap food for steaming, imparting a distinctive aroma.
  • Cơm lam gói bằng lá sen. (Sticky rice is wrapped in lotus leaves.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hoa sen (n): Lotus flower. This is the most common and specific term for the blossom itself.
  • Hoa sen là quốc hoa của Việt Nam. (The lotus flower is the national flower of Vietnam.)
• Củ sen (n): Lotus root, the edible rhizome of the lotus plant, often used in salads and stir-fries.
  • Gỏi củ sen giòn và ngon. (Lotus root salad is crispy and delicious.)
• Con sen (n, archaic): The full, more common term for a maidservant.
  • Nhân vật con sen thường xuất hiện trong văn học hiện thực phê phán. (The character of the maidservant often appears in critical realist literature.)

Synonyms

• Lotus: Nelumbo, sacred lotus, Indian lotus.
• Maidservant: Housemaid, domestic servant, maid (archaic).

Related Idioms and Cultural References

• "Gần bùn mà chẳng hôi tanh mùi bùn": An idiom praising the lotus, meaning "Near the mud but not smelling of its foulness." It is used to describe a person who remains pure and virtuous despite being in a corrupt or difficult environment.
  • Cô ấy như hoa sen, gần bùn mà chẳng hôi tanh mùi bùn. (She is like a lotus, near the mud but not smelling of its foulness.)
• Sen in Buddhism: The lotus is a potent symbol in Buddhism, representing purity, enlightenment, and rebirth, as it rises clean and beautiful from muddy water.
  • Đức Phật thường được miêu tả ngồi trên tòa sen. (The Buddha is often depicted sitting on a lotus throne.)

noun

1. lotus hoa sen
   • hoa sen hoàng hậu
     maidservant