cặp lồng
Definition
- Noun:
- A set of stacked food containers / tiffin carrier: A "cặp lồng" is a portable set of two or more round, interlocking metal or plastic containers, used to carry separate components of a meal (like rice, main dish, and soup). It often comes with a handle for easy transport.
- Mess tin / lunch pail: It refers to a simple, practical container for carrying a packed meal, traditionally used by workers, students, or for picnics.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mẹ xếp cơm, thịt kho và canh vào ba tầng của cặp lồng. (Mother packed rice, braised pork, and soup into the three tiers of the tiffin carrier.)
- Công nhân mang cặp lồng đi làm để ăn trưa. (Workers bring a mess tin to work for lunch.)
- Anh ấy mua một cặp lồng nhôm mới. (He bought a new aluminum set of food containers.)
Advanced Usage
- The term inherently describes a of containers. Using it for a single container is uncommon.
- It is associated with homemade, practical meals and a sense of frugality or tradition, contrasting with modern disposable lunch boxes.
Variants and Related Words
- Hộp cơm (n): Lunch box. This is a more general, modern term that can refer to any type of lunch container, including single boxes, bento boxes, or insulated containers, not necessarily a stacked set.
- Lồng (n): Can refer to a single tier or container from a "cặp lồng," or more commonly, to a steamer basket (e.g., ).
Synonyms
- Tiffin carrier / tiffin box: A common English term, especially in Indian and Southeast Asian contexts.
- Stackable lunch container: A descriptive term.
- Mess kit: Emphasizes its use by workers or in military settings.
Related Idioms and Expressions
- Cơm cặp lồng: Literally "cặp lồng rice," meaning a homemade packed meal.
- Hồi đi học, tôi toàn ăn cơm cặp lồng mẹ nấu. (When I was a student, I always ate homemade packed meals my mother cooked.)
- While not a direct idiom, the "cặp lồng" is a cultural symbol of care, often prepared by family members for their loved ones to take to school or work.
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Set of mess-tins
