Definition

1. Noun:
   • Pig-tail, queue (of hair): A hairstyle where hair is gathered and tied at the back of the head, often braided, resembling a single tail. Traditionally, this refers to the long braid worn by men in some historical periods, but it can also describe a simple, single ponytail or braid.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cậu bé để đuôi sam dài. (The boy wears a long pig-tail.)
  • Trong lịch sử, nhiều người đàn ông Trung Quốc để đuôi sam. (Historically, many Chinese men wore a queue.)
  • Cô ấy buộc tóc thành một đuôi sam đơn giản. (She tied her hair into a simple ponytail.)

Advanced Usage

• "đuôi sam" vs. "bím tóc": While both can mean "braid," "đuôi sam" often implies a single, gathered tail (which may or may not be braided), whereas "bím tóc" specifically refers to a braided plait. "Đuôi sam" can be synonymous with a "ponytail" ("tóc đuôi ngựa") when not braided.
• Cultural/Historical Context: The term "đuôi sam" is strongly associated with the mandatory "queue" hairstyle for Han Chinese men during the Qing dynasty.

Variants and Related Words

• Tóc đuôi ngựa (n): Ponytail. A hairstyle where hair is pulled back and secured at the back of the head, hanging loosely.
• Bím tóc (n): Braid, plait. Hair that has been woven into a pattern of three or more strands.
• Tết tóc (v): To braid hair.

Synonyms

• Queue (n): A historical term for a pig-tail, especially the single braid worn by men.
• Ponytail (n): A hairstyle where hair is gathered and secured at the back, hanging like a tail (often not braided).

Related Phrases

• Để tóc đuôi sam: To wear one's hair in a pig-tail/queue.
  • Ông ấy quyết định để tóc đuôi sam. (He decided to wear his hair in a queue.)
• Cột tóc đuôi sam: To tie/bind hair into a pig-tail.
  • Cô giáo thường cột tóc đuôi sam khi dạy học. (The teacher often ties her hair in a ponytail when teaching.)

1. Pig-tail, queue (of hair)