Definition

Noun: - Bimonthly (twice a month) / Fortnightly: A type of periodical (such as a magazine or journal) that is published once every two weeks or twice a month. The term directly translates to "half-monthly publication."

Usage Examples

• (I subscribed to a fortnightly science magazine.)
• (This bimonthly publication is released on the 1st and 15th of each month.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is considered somewhat formal or literary in modern Vietnamese. In everyday conversation, descriptive phrases like "tạp chí ra hai lần một tháng" (a magazine published twice a month) are more common.
• It is a compound noun formed from "bán" (half), "nguyệt" (month), and "san" (a Sino-Vietnamese root meaning "to print" or "publication").

Variants and Related Words

• Nguyệt san (n): Monthly publication.
  • Đây là một nguyệt san văn học có uy tín. (This is a reputable literary monthly.)
• Tuần san (n): Weekly publication.
  • Tin tức đó có trong tuần san tuần trước. (That news was in last week's weekly.)

Synonyms

• Fortnightly: Happening or appearing every two weeks.
• Bimonthly (in the sense of twice a month): Occurring or published twice a month.
• Semi-monthly: Another term for occurring twice a month.

Notes on Meaning

• Clarification on "Bimonthly": In English, "bimonthly" can be ambiguous, meaning either "twice a month" or "every two months." The Vietnamese term bán nguyệt san specifically and exclusively means "twice a month" or "fortnightly." A publication that comes out every two months is called a "song nguyệt san."
• Archaic Note: As indicated in some references, this term can be considered slightly archaic.

noun

1. Bimonthly, fortnightly