Definition

1. Noun:
   • A padded jacket: A type of coat or jacket that is thickly filled or lined with cotton, silk floss, or synthetic fiber for warmth. It is a traditional and common type of winter clothing in Vietnam.
   • A quilted coat: Describes the construction, where two layers of fabric are stitched together with padding in between, often in a patterned stitch.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trời Hà Nội mùa đông lạnh, cần mặc áo bông. (Hanoi's winter is cold; you need to wear a padded jacket.)
  • Chiếc áo bông cũ của bà tôi rất ấm. (My grandmother's old padded jacket is very warm.)
  • Trẻ con thường mặc áo bông để đi học vào mùa đông. (Children often wear quilted coats to school in winter.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "áo bông" specifically emphasizes the cotton ("bông") filling. In modern usage, it can refer to jackets filled with other materials, but the core idea remains a thick, padded garment for cold weather.
• It is distinct from modern insulated jackets (often called or ), as it carries a more traditional connotation.

Variants and Related Words

• Áo khoác bông (n): A more explicit term for a padded outer coat.
  • Cô ấy mua một chiếc áo khoác bông mới. (She bought a new padded coat.)
• Bông (n): Cotton. This is the root word referring to the filling material.
• Áo len (n): Sweater or woolen jumper, a different type of warm clothing.
• Áo ấm (n): A general term for warm clothing or a warm coat.

Synonyms

• Padded jacket
• Quilted coat
• Wadded coat (a direct translation of the Vietnamese-French "veste ouatée")

Related Idioms

• While there is no direct idiom with "áo bông", the concept relates to the idiom "Ấm no" (warm and well-fed), where "ấm" (warm) can be associated with having adequate clothing like a padded jacket for winter.