bút lông
Definition
- Noun:
- Brush (for writing or painting): A writing or painting tool consisting of hairs or bristles attached to a handle, traditionally used with ink or paint.
- Calligraphy brush: Specifically refers to the traditional brush used in East Asian calligraphy and painting, typically made from animal hair (e.g., wolf, goat, weasel) and bamboo.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông ấy viết chữ Hán bằng bút lông. (He writes Chinese characters with a brush.)
- Cô ấy cần một cây bút lông mới để vẽ tranh thủy mặc. (She needs a new brush to paint an ink wash painting.)
- Bút lông của thư pháp gia rất quý. (The calligrapher's brush is very precious.)
Advanced Usage
- "bút lông ngỗng": Literally "goose feather brush," historically referring to quill pens used in the West. In modern Vietnamese, it can poetically refer to a writer's pen or talent.
- Nhà văn ấy có cây bút lông ngỗng sắc bén. (That writer has a sharp pen.)
- "nét bút lông": The stroke or line made by a brush.
- Nét bút lông của ông ấy rất mềm mại và uyển chuyển. (His brushstrokes are very soft and flexible.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bút lông kim (n): A technical pen or a pen with a fine, precise tip (like a "technical brush pen").
- Kiến trúc sư dùng bút lông kim để vẽ bản vẽ kỹ thuật. (The architect uses a technical pen to draw technical plans.)
- Bút lông dạ (n): A marker or felt-tip pen.
- Cô giáo dùng bút lông dạ để viết lên bảng trắng. (The teacher uses a marker to write on the whiteboard.)
- Lông (n): Feather; fur; hair. This is the root word meaning the bristle/hair material of the brush.
Synonyms
- Cọ (n): Brush (more general, often for painting, can be broader). While emphasizes the hair/bristle and is strongly associated with writing/calligraphy, is more commonly used for painting brushes.
- Anh ấy dùng cọ để vẽ tranh sơn dầu. (He uses a brush to paint an oil painting.)
Related Phrases
- Phất bút lông: To wield the brush; to write or paint with a brush (often implies a skilled or artistic action).
- Chỉ một phất bút lông, ông đã hoàn thành bức thư pháp. (With just one stroke of the brush, he completed the calligraphy piece.)
Related Idioms
- "Có tài mà không có bút lông": Literally "to have talent but no brush." This idiom suggests having skill or knowledge but lacking the proper tools or means to express or utilize it effectively.
- Anh ấy là một họa sĩ giỏi nhưng không có tiền mua vật liệu, đúng là có tài mà không có bút lông. (He is a good painter but has no money for materials, it's truly a case of having talent but no brush.)