thân la
Definition
- Noun:
- Cassava plant, tapioca plant: A direct and literal term for the plant Manihot esculenta, which produces the starchy root known as cassava, manioc, or yuca.
- A lowly, insignificant, or common plant: Used figuratively to describe something or someone considered humble, base, or of little value, akin to a common weed or vine.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trên đồi trồng nhiều thân la. (The hill is planted with many cassava plants.)
- Hắn ta chỉ là một thân la trong xã hội. (He is just a lowly, insignificant person in society.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is archaic and literary. Its primary modern use is in its figurative sense to convey contempt or to emphasize someone's low social status or lack of worth, often found in classical Vietnamese poetry or prose.
Variants and Related Words
Cây sắn (n): The modern and common term for the cassava plant.
- Cây sắn là nguồn lương thực quan trọng. (The cassava plant is an important food source.)
Cây khoai mì (n): Another regional name for the cassava plant, common in Southern Vietnam.
Synonyms
- Cassava: The plant .
- Lowly being: An insignificant or base person (figurative).
- Menial: A person with a low-status job (figurative).
Related Idioms
- Thân phận thân la: A destiny or status of a lowly, insignificant person.
- Ông ấy than thở về thân phận thân la của mình. (He lamented his lowly, insignificant status.)