xén tóc

Một con xén tóc đậu trên cành cây.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Longhorn beetle / Capricorn beetle: A type of large insect belonging to the Cerambycidae family, characterized by very long antennae that often resemble horns. The name "xén tóc" (literally "hair-cutter") in Vietnamese is derived from the folk belief that these insects can cut human hair.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trẻ con trong làng thường bắt xén tóc để chơi. (Children in the village often catch longhorn beetles to play with.)
  • Con xén tóc đậu trên thân cây, cặp râu dài đặc trưng của nó dễ thấy. (The capricorn beetle landed on the tree trunk, its characteristic long antennae clearly visible.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in a zoological or common-name context. It is not typically used in idioms or figurative language.

Variants and Related Words

• Bọ xén tóc: A more precise and commonly used term, where "bọ" means "beetle" or "bug".
  • Bọ xén tóc thường đẻ trứng vào các khe nứt của vỏ cây. (The longhorn beetle usually lays its eggs in the cracks of tree bark.)

Synonyms

• Longhorn beetle: The common English name for insects in the Cerambycidae family.
• Capricorn beetle: Another common name, especially in older texts.
• Cerambycid: The scientific/adjectival form.

Notes on Meaning

• The reference definition "capricorne; cérambyx" confirms "xén tóc" as the Vietnamese common name for beetles of the Cerambycidae family. The word is a noun used specifically for this insect. There are no other common meanings for this term in modern Vietnamese.