Definition

1. Noun:

   • Scale: A small, hard, and often overlapping plate that forms the outer covering of certain animals, such as fish or reptiles.
   • Scab, Crust: A dry, hard layer that forms over a wound or skin lesion as it heals.
   • Operculum (Botany/Zoology): A covering or lid-like structure, such as a bud scale or the gill cover of a fish.

2. Verb:

   • To sprinkle, to flick water: To scatter or throw small droplets of liquid.
   • To shake dry: To shake something (like wet vegetables in a colander) vigorously to remove excess water.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Cá có vảy. (Fish have scales.)
  • Vết thương đã đóng vảy. (The wound has formed a scab.)
  • Vảy chồi bảo vệ lá non. (Bud scales protect young leaves.)

• Verb:

  • Chị vảy nước lên mặt để làm tươi tỉnh. (She sprinkled water on her face to refresh herself.)
  • Vảy rổ rau cho ráo nước trước khi trộn. (Shake the colander of vegetables to drain the water before mixing.)

Advanced Usage

• "Đánh vảy": To scale (a fish).

  • Trước khi nấu, phải đánh vảy cá thật sạch. (Before cooking, you must scale the fish thoroughly.)

• "Tróc vảy": To peel off in scales; to flake off.

  • Lớp sơn cũ trên tường đang bắt đầu tróc vảy. (The old paint on the wall is starting to flake off.)

• "Có vảy": Scaly; having scales.

  • Con thằn lằn này có vảy rất cứng. (This lizard has very hard scales.)

Variants and Related Words

• Vảy cá (n): Fish scale.
• Vảy nến (n): A scale-like formation (e.g., in psoriasis); literally "candle scale".
• Vảy ốc (n): Operculum (of a snail).
• Vảy bụi (n): A light dusting; a very thin layer (like scales).

Synonyms

• Vẩy (n/v): An alternate, commonly accepted spelling with the same meanings.
• Lớp vỏ cứng (n): Hard shell/crust (for the scab/crust meaning).
• Té nước (v): To splash water (similar to the verb meaning).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Vảy tay: To flick one's hand (to shake off water or dismiss something).
  • Anh ấy vảy tay cho khô sau khi rửa. (He flicked his hands to dry them after washing.)

Related Idioms

• Cứng như vảy tê tê: As hard as a pangolin's scales. (Meaning: very tough or stubborn.)

  • Ông ấy cứng như vảy tê tê, chẳng nghe ai khuyên. (He is as stubborn as a pangolin's scales, not listening to anyone's advice.)

• Mượn vảy rồng: To borrow dragon's scales. (Meaning: to borrow authority or prestige from a powerful figure.)

  • Hắn ta thành công là nhờ mượn vảy rồng của ông chủ. (He succeeded by borrowing the dragon's scales [prestige] of his boss.)

noun

1. scale crust, scab operculum