Definition

1. Noun:

   • Bones (as leftovers from a meal): Refers to bones, typically small, leftover after eating meat, often implying they are of little value or are discarded scraps.
   • A worthless part or scrap: Used figuratively to describe a leftover piece of little value, the worst part of something, or a reject.

2. Adjective:

   • Bony / Osseous: Describes a person or thing that is very thin, gaunt, or full of bones.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Ăn xong, đừng vứt xương xảu xuống sàn. (After eating, don't throw the bones on the floor.)
  • Họ lấy hết phần ngon, chỉ để lại xương xảu cho chúng tôi. (They took all the good parts, leaving only the scraps for us.)

• Adjective:

  • Ông ấy trông rất xương xảu sau trận ốm. (He looks very bony after his illness.)

Advanced Usage

• The term often carries a negative connotation, emphasizing worthlessness, undesirability, or poor quality in both literal and figurative contexts.

Variants and Related Words

• Xương xẩu: An alternative spelling with the same meaning.
• Xương: The standard word for "bone." is a more specific, often colloquial derivative.

Synonyms

• Scraps / Leftovers (for the noun sense of worthless parts).
• Gaunt / Skeletal (for the adjective sense).

Related Idioms

• Đồ xương xảu: A derogatory phrase meaning "worthless stuff" or "junk."
  • Căn phòng chứa toàn đồ xương xảu. (The room is full of junk.)