trồng đậu
Definition
- Verb (historical/medical):
- To vaccinate (specifically against smallpox): This is the primary historical meaning of "trồng đậu." It refers to the old practice of variolation, a method of inducing immunity to smallpox by deliberately inoculating a person with material from a smallpox pustule. This was a precursor to the modern smallpox vaccine.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Ngày xưa, người ta thường trồng đậu để phòng bệnh đậu mùa. (In the past, people often used variolation to prevent smallpox.)
- Cụ tôi kể rằng hồi nhỏ đã được trồng đậu. (My grandfather told me he was variolated as a child.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is now largely historical and obsolete in modern medical contexts, as smallpox has been eradicated. It is primarily encountered in historical texts or discussions about medical history.
Variants and Related Words
- Chủng đậu (v): A direct synonym meaning "to vaccinate against smallpox" or "to variolate."
- Tiêm chủng (v): The modern, general term for "to vaccinate."
- Vắc-xin đậu mùa (n): Smallpox vaccine.
Synonyms
- To variolate: The direct technical term for the historical practice.
- To inoculate (against smallpox): A more general term for introducing a pathogen to induce immunity.
Notes on Meaning
- Important: In contemporary Vietnamese, "trồng đậu" should not be confused with its literal, word-by-word meaning of "to grow beans" (trồng = to grow/plant; đậu = beans). In the historical/medical context explained here, it is a fixed term with a specific meaning. The literal agricultural activity would be expressed as "trồng cây đậu."