Definition

1. Noun:
   • Tie-beam (in architecture): A horizontal structural element, typically made of wood, that connects and supports two principal rafters or roof trusses at their lower ends, often found in traditional Vietnamese wooden structures.
   • The main beam: Refers to the primary, central beam in a traditional wooden frame, crucial for the roof's stability.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cái đình làng được chống đỡ bởi những cây câu đầu rất lớn. (The village communal house is supported by very large tie-beams.)
  • Kiến trúc sư đang kiểm tra độ chắc chắn của câu đầu. (The architect is checking the sturdiness of the tie-beam.)

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Architectural Context: The term is used almost exclusively in the context of traditional Vietnamese architecture, carpentry, or restoration projects.
  • Việc phục chế ngôi nhà cổ bắt đầu bằng việc thay thế cây câu đầu đã mục. (The restoration of the ancient house began with replacing the rotten tie-beam.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xà (n): Beam; a more general term for any beam or girder in construction.
• Rường (n): Framework; refers to the entire wooden frame or skeleton of a traditional house.
• Kèo (n): Rafter; the sloping beam that supports the roof, which the often connects.

Synonyms

• Đòn tay chính: Main rafter/beam (less common).
• Xà ngang chính: Main horizontal beam.

Related Phrases

• Lắp đặt câu đầu: To install a tie-beam.
• Cấu trúc câu đầu: Tie-beam structure.

Related Idioms

(This is a highly technical term, so it does not commonly appear in idiomatic expressions. Its usage is literal and specific to architecture.)

1. (kiến tru'c) Tie-beam