Gương ly loan
Definition
- Noun:
- A legendary mirror that causes a Luan bird to sing: A specific, culturally significant object from a Vietnamese legend. It refers to a mirror that, when presented to a solitary female Luan bird (a mythical creature similar to a phoenix), makes it sing upon seeing its own reflection, mistaking it for its mate.
- A metaphor for separation and longing: The term evokes the sadness of separation, as the Luan bird is alone and pines for its partner. The mirror is a poignant symbol of this loneliness and yearning for reunion.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Câu chuyện về chiếc gương ly loan thật cảm động. (The story of the gương ly loan is very moving.)
- Hình ảnh gương ly loan thường được dùng trong thơ ca để nói về sự chia ly. (The image of the gương ly loan is often used in poetry to speak of separation.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in literary, poetic, or historical contexts to convey deep, poignant emotion related to love, separation, and longing. It is not used in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Loan phụng (n): Luan and Feng (male phoenix). Together, they represent a happy couple, in contrast to the solitary "loan" in .
- Họ đẹp đôi như loan phụng. (They are a beautiful couple like the Luan and Feng birds.)
Synonyms
- Symbol of longing: An object representing deep yearning.
- Emblem of separation: A symbol for the state of being parted.
Related Idioms/Allusions
- Loan bay phượng vũ: (The Luan flies, the Phoenix dances). This describes a scene of great joy and harmony, often used for a happy wedding. It is the positive counterpart to the loneliness implied by .
- Phượng lẻ bạn, loan chờ đôi: (The Phoenix lacks a companion, the Luan awaits its pair). A poetic line directly describing the state of lonely waiting alluded to by the legend.