xương chạc
Definition
- Noun:
- Furcula (wishbone): A forked bone found in birds and some other dinosaurs, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles (collarbones) at the base of the neck. It serves as a spring-like structure between the shoulder joints, aiding in flight.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Khi làm gà, người ta thường lấy ra xương chạc để phơi khô. (When preparing chicken, people often take out the wishbone to dry.)
- Xương chạc giúp ổn định khung vai của chim khi bay. (The furcula helps stabilize a bird's shoulder frame during flight.)
- Hai đứa trẻ kéo xương chạc gà để ước. (The two children pulled the chicken wishbone to make a wish.)
Advanced Usage
- In paleontology and zoology, "furcula" is the precise scientific term for this bone structure across avian and non-avian theropod dinosaurs.
- The common English name "wishbone" refers specifically to the dried furcula of a bird (typically a chicken) used in the tradition of two people pulling it apart; the person left with the longer piece is said to have a wish granted.
Variants and Related Words
- Xương đòn (n): Clavicle or collarbone (in humans and other animals). The furcula is formed from the fusion of two clavicles.
- Xương quạ (n): Coracoid bone (another bone in the avian shoulder girdle, distinct from the furcula).
Synonyms
- Wishbone: The common, non-scientific term, especially when referring to the tradition.
- Furcula: The formal anatomical and zoological term.
Related Idioms
- Kéo xương chạc / Kéo xương quạ: To pull the wishbone. This refers directly to the cultural practice.
- Sau bữa tối, anh em tôi kéo xương chạc. (After dinner, my brothers and I pulled the wishbone.)