Definition

1. Noun:
   • Rib: One of the long, curved bones that form a cage around the chest (thorax), connecting to the spine in the back. They protect vital organs like the heart and lungs.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Anh ấy bị gãy hai cái xương sườn trong tai nạn. (He broke two ribs in the accident.)
  • Cơn ho mạnh khiến cô ấy đau ở vùng xương sườn. (The strong cough caused her pain in the rib area.)
  • Xương sườn của con người có 12 đôi. (Humans have 12 pairs of ribs.)

Advanced Usage

• "xương sườn cụt": Floating rib. The last two pairs of ribs (11th and 12th) that are not attached to the sternum (breastbone) in the front.
  • Xương sườn cụt chỉ nối với cột sống. (Floating ribs are only connected to the spine.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sườn (n): This is a common shortened, colloquial form for "xương sườn," meaning rib(s). It can also refer to the side of the torso or a cut of meat (e.g., pork ribs).
  • Món sườn nướng này rất ngon. (This grilled pork rib dish is very delicious.)
• Lồng ngực (n): Thorax, ribcage. The bony structure formed by the ribs, spine, and sternum.
  • Lồng ngực bảo vệ tim và phổi. (The ribcage protects the heart and lungs.)

Synonyms

• Rib: The direct anatomical term.
• Costa: The medical/Latin term for rib.

Related Idioms

• Lộ xương sườn: To be so thin that the ribs are visible; to be skin and bones.
  • Con chó bị bỏ rơi trông lộ cả xương sườn. (The abandoned dog looks like skin and bones.)
• (Làm/Nói) chạm đến xương sườn: (To do/Say something that) touches a rib; to affect someone's vital interests or pocketbook directly.
  • Khoản phạt này chạm đến xương sườn của công ty. (This fine hits the company where it hurts.)

noun

1. rib