ú
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of pyramid-shaped sticky rice cake: "Ú" refers specifically to a traditional Vietnamese dumpling or cake, typically made from glutinous rice, often with a sweet filling like mung bean paste, and wrapped in a special leaf (often bamboo or banana leaf) into a distinctive tetrahedral or pyramid shape. It is commonly associated with the Tết Đoan Ngọ (Mid-year Festival) or the Full Moon of the Fifth Lunar Month.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mẹ tôi gói bánh ú để cúng Tết Đoan Ngọ. (My mother makes "ú" cakes to offer during the Mid-year Festival.)
- Bánh ú này có nhân đậu xanh ngọt. (This "ú" cake has a sweet mung bean filling.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "ú" is almost exclusively used in the compound term "bánh ú". It is very rarely used in isolation in modern Vietnamese. When standing alone, "ú" is understood to be a shortened, colloquial reference to this specific cake.
Variants and Related Words
- Bánh ú (n): The full and standard term for the pyramid-shaped sticky rice cake.
- Bánh ú là món ăn truyền thống vào mùng 5 tháng 5 âm lịch. ("Bánh ú" is a traditional food on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.)
Synonyms
- Pyramid rice dumpling: A descriptive English term for "bánh ú".
- Sticky rice cake: A general term, though less specific.
Notes on Usage
- The dictionary reference "úxem bánh ú" is an old-style dictionary notation meaning "for 'ú', see the entry for 'bánh ú'." This confirms that "ú" is a truncated form of the full word "bánh ú". In contemporary use, you will almost always encounter and should use the full term "bánh ú".