Definition

Noun: * The traditional national dress of Vietnamese women, characterized by a long, close-fitting tunic with long sleeves and side slits, worn over full-length trousers.

Usage

The term "ao dai" is used to refer specifically to this iconic Vietnamese garment. It is typically worn on formal occasions, cultural events, or as a school uniform, but can also be worn as elegant daily wear.

Examples

• Noun:
  • She looked elegant in her white ao dai for the graduation ceremony.
  • The ao dai is a symbol of Vietnamese cultural identity and feminine beauty.
  • Many Vietnamese designers are creating modern versions of the traditional ao dai.

Advanced Usage

• The word "ao dai" is often used without an article in English when referring to the garment as a concept or category, similar to words like "kimono."
  • The museum has an exhibition on the history of ao dai.

Variants and Related Words

• Ao dai is the standard romanized spelling from Vietnamese. Other transliterations like "áo dài" (with diacritics) or "ao dai" are also seen.
• Tunic (n): A loose garment, typically knee-length. This is a general term for the top part of the ao dai, though the ao dai's tunic is specifically tailored.
• Traditional dress (n): The general category of clothing to which the ao dai belongs.

Synonyms

• Traditional Vietnamese dress: A descriptive synonym.
• Vietnamese tunic and trousers: A literal description of the components.

Related Phrases

• To wear an ao dai: The standard phrase for putting on the garment.
  • The flight attendants wear an ao dai as their uniform.

Noun

1. the traditional dress of Vietnamese women consisting of a tunic with long sleeves and panels front and back; the tunic is worn over trousers