Cầu ô
Definition
- Noun:
- Magpie Bridge: A bridge formed by magpies, central to a famous East Asian folktale. It is the celestial bridge that allows the separated lovers, the Cowherd (Ngưu Lang) and the Weaver Girl (Chức Nữ), to reunite for one night each year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Theo truyền thuyết, chim ác là sẽ tạo thành một cầu ô vào đêm Thất Tịch. (According to legend, magpies will form a Magpie Bridge on the night of the Double Seventh Festival.)
- Hình ảnh cầu ô tượng trưng cho tình yêu vượt qua mọi trở ngại. (The image of the Magpie Bridge symbolizes love overcoming all obstacles.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "cầu ô" is almost exclusively used in the context of this specific myth and its related cultural celebrations (like Qixi Festival in China, Thất Tịch in Vietnam, or Tanabata in Japan). It is a potent cultural symbol of reunion, enduring love, and hope against separation.
Variants and Related Words
- Cầu Ô Thước: A less common, fuller name meaning "Magpie Bridge," where "ô thước" specifically refers to the magpie.
- Ngưu Lang (proper noun): The Cowherd, the male protagonist of the legend.
- Chức Nữ (proper noun): The Weaver Girl, the female protagonist of the legend.
- Thất Tịch (noun): The Double Seventh Festival (the 7th day of the 7th lunar month), when the reunion is said to take place.
Synonyms
- Bridge of Magpies: A direct descriptive translation.
- Celestial Bridge: Emphasizes its heavenly or mythical nature.
Related Idioms and Cultural References
- Hội ngộ trên cầu ô: To reunite on the Magpie Bridge; meaning a rare and precious reunion.
- Sau nhiều năm xa cách, cuộc gặp gỡ của họ như hội ngộ trên cầu ô. (After many years apart, their meeting was like a reunion on the Magpie Bridge.)
- The story itself is often referenced to describe faithful love enduring long separation, similar to the idiom "một năm chỉ có một lần" (only once a year).