cưa đá
Definition
Noun:
- Marble (the rock): A type of hard, metamorphic rock that is typically white with colored veins, used in sculpture and architecture. This is the direct translation of the constituent words: "cưa" (to saw/cut) and "đá" (stone/rock), implying stone that is cut or sawn.
- Marble (the material): The polished material made from this rock, used for floors, countertops, and decorative objects.
Verb Phrase (literal):
- To saw/cut stone or marble: The literal action of cutting rock or marble using a saw.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Ngôi đền này được xây bằng cưa đá trắng. (This temple is built of white marble.)
- Mặt bàn cưa đá rất bóng và mát. (The marble tabletop is very shiny and cool.)
Verb Phrase:
- Công nhân đang cưa đá tại mỏ. (The workers are cutting marble at the quarry.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used as a noun referring to the material. The verbal sense is less common in everyday language and is more descriptive of the industrial process.
Variants and Related Words
Đá cẩm thạch (n): A more common and specific synonym for marble as a material, often used interchangeably with "cưa đá".
- Bức tượng được làm từ đá cẩm thạch. (The statue is made from marble.)
Đá hoa (n): Another synonym for marble, emphasizing its patterned, "floral" veins.
- Sàn nhà bằng đá hoa rất đẹp. (The marble floor is very beautiful.)
Synonyms
- Marble: The primary equivalent in English for the material.
- Cut stone: A literal translation for the action.
Notes on Usage
- While "cưa đá" literally means "saw stone," in modern Vietnamese, it is a fixed term used predominantly as a noun meaning "marble." For the general action of cutting stone, a phrase like "cắt đá" or "xẻ đá" might be more frequently used.