Definition

1. Noun:

   • Bone: The hard, rigid connective tissue forming the skeleton of most vertebrate animals, providing structure and protection.
   • Core, Framework: The hard, essential, or central part that gives structure or support to something.

2. Adjective:

   • Bony, Gaunt: Describing a person or part of the body that is so thin the bones are prominent.
   • Tough, Difficult: Describing a problem, task, or situation that is very challenging or hard to solve.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Anh ấy bị gãy xương tay. (He broke a bone in his arm.)
  • Bộ xương người có hơn 200 chiếc xương. (The human skeleton has over 200 bones.)
  • Xương của chiếc ô đã bị gãy. (The ribs/framework of the umbrella are broken.)

• Adjective:

  • Sau trận ốm, ông ấy trông rất xương. (After the illness, he looks very gaunt/bony.)
  • Bài toán này thật sự rất xương. (This math problem is really tough/difficult.)

Advanced Usage

• "gầy giơ xương" / "gầy trơ xương": To be skin and bones, extremely thin.

  • Đứa trẻ đói ăn trông gầy giơ xương. (The starving child looks like skin and bones.)

• "xương máu": Flesh and blood; used to describe something fundamental, vital, or involving great sacrifice.

  • Đó là bài học xương máu. (That was a lesson paid for with blood, sweat, and tears.)

• "xương sống": Literally "spine" or "backbone"; figuratively the main support or most important part of something.

  • Ngành nông nghiệp là xương sống của nền kinh tế. (Agriculture is the backbone of the economy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xương xẩu (adj): Bony, having prominent bones (often used for face or hands).

  • Bàn tay xương xẩu. (Bony hands.)

• Xương cốt (n): Bones (often refers to remains); the essential part, foundation.

  • Thu nhặt xương cốt. (To collect bones/remains.)
  • Ý tưởng là xương cốt của kế hoạch. (The idea is the foundation of the plan.)

• Cốt xương / Khung xương (n): Skeleton, framework.

Synonyms

• Noun: Cốt (bone, core), khung (framework), nòng cốt (core, backbone).
• Adjective (for "tough"): Khó (difficult), hóc búa (knotty, tricky), gian nan (arduous).
• Adjective (for "bony"): Gầy guộc (skinny), khẳng khiu (lanky).

Related Phrases (Compound Words)

• Bộ xương (n): Skeleton.
• Gãy xương (v): To have a bone fracture.
• Loãng xương (n): Osteoporosis.
• Viêm xương (n): Osteitis, bone inflammation.
• Xương sườn (n): Rib.
• Xương đòn (n): Collarbone.
• Xương sống (n): Spine, backbone.
• Xương chậu (n): Pelvis.
• Xương ống (n): Long bone (e.g., femur, tibia).

Related Idioms

• "Còn da bọc xương": Literally "only skin wrapping bones"; meaning extremely emaciated.

  • Con ngựa già chỉ còn da bọc xương. (The old horse is nothing but skin and bones.)

• "Xương đồng da sắt": Literally "bronze bones and iron skin"; meaning very strong, robust, and resilient.

  • Người lính có sức khỏe xương đồng da sắt. (The soldier has the health of someone with bones of bronze and skin of iron.)

• "Cãi đến xương": To argue stubbornly until the very end.

  • Hai anh em cãi nhau đến xương. (The two brothers argued stubbornly until the bitter end.)

noun

1. bone