xác chết

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A dead body; a corpse: The physical remains of a human being or animal after death. This is the standard and most common term for a deceased body, often used in formal, medical, legal, or general contexts.
    • A carcass: When referring to the dead body of an animal.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Cảnh sát đã tìm thấy một xác chết trong công viên. (The police found a dead body in the park.)
    • Những con kền kền đang ăn xác chết của một con linh dương. (Vultures are eating the carcass of an antelope.)
    • Mùi từ xác chết thật là kinh khủng. (The smell from the corpse was terrible.)
Advanced Usage
  • The term is neutral but carries a somber, factual connotation. It is commonly used in news reports, police investigations, and biological contexts.
  • "ăn xác chết": Literally "to eat dead bodies." This is the biological term for being necrophagous (an organism that feeds on dead and decaying flesh).
    • Giòi bọ là những sinh vật ăn xác chết. (Maggots are necrophagous organisms.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Thi thể (n): A more formal and respectful term for a human corpse, often used in official or solemn contexts. (Corpse, remains).
  • Tử thi (n): A formal or literary term for a corpse, often used in legal or medical contexts. (Dead body, cadaver).
  • Xác (n): Can mean "body" (living or dead) or "husk/shell." When used alone, context determines if it means a corpse. (Body, carcass, shell).
Synonyms
  • Corpse: The dead body of a human being.
  • Cadaver: A dead human body, especially one used for medical dissection.
  • Carcass: The dead body of an animal.
  • Remains: A polite or formal term for a corpse.
Related Idioms
  • Xác như hạc, lòng như hoa: An idiom describing someone who appears frail or weak on the outside ("body like a crane") but is vibrant or passionate on the inside ("heart like a flower"). Note: This idiom uses "xác" to mean "body" in a living, figurative sense, not specifically "xác chết."