Definition

Noun: 1. Pearl: A hard, lustrous spherical object, typically white or bluish-gray, produced within the shell of a pearl oyster or other bivalve mollusk, highly valued as a gem. 2. Tapioca pearl / Bubble tea pearl: A small, chewy ball made primarily from tapioca starch, commonly used as a topping in beverages like bubble tea.

Usage Examples

• Pearl:
  • Cô ấy đeo một chiếc vòng cổ làm từ những viên trân châu. (She wears a necklace made of pearls.)
  • Trân châu tự nhiên rất hiếm và có giá trị cao. (Natural pearls are very rare and valuable.)
• Tapioca Pearl:
  • Tôi thích uống trà sữa có trân châu đen. (I like to drink milk tea with black tapioca pearls.)
  • Trân châu trong trà sữa thường có vị ngọt và dai. (The pearls in bubble tea are usually sweet and chewy.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ngọc trai" vs. "Trân châu": While both can mean "pearl," "ngọc trai" is the more common and general term for the gemstone. "Trân châu" can sound more literary or formal when referring to the gem and is the standard term for the food topping.
  • Vẻ đẹp của viên trân châu được ví như ánh trăng. (The beauty of the pearl is compared to moonlight.) (Literary/formal)
• Specifying Type: The context usually makes the meaning clear. For the food item, it's often specified further (e.g., trân châu trắng - white tapioca pearls, trân châu đen - black tapioca pearls).

Variants and Related Words

• Ngọc trai (n): Pearl (the gemstone). This is the most common synonym for the jewel.
• Hạt trân châu (n): Pearl bead; can refer to either the gem or the food item, emphasizing the "bead" or "ball" shape.
• Trân (n, literary): A precious, rare object (as in trân bảo - treasures). "Trân châu" literally combines "trân" (precious) and "châu" (pearl/jewel).
• Boba (n): A loanword from English, commonly used in Vietnam to refer specifically to tapioca pearls in bubble tea.

Synonyms

• For the gem: Ngọc trai, châu ngọc (literary).
• For the food topping: Hạt trân châu, boba.

Related Phrases / Compound Terms

• Trà trân châu (n): Bubble tea, pearl milk tea.
• Chè trân châu (n): A sweet dessert soup or drink with tapioca pearls.
• Trân châu đường đen (n): Brown sugar tapioca pearls.

noun

1. pearl