Definition

1. Noun (literary, archaic):
   • The sky; the heavens; the firmament: Refers to the vast, high, and blue expanse above the earth. It carries a poetic and elevated tone.
   • Providence; Heaven (as a divine force): Used metaphorically to refer to a celestial or divine power that governs fate.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ngước mắt nhìn lên cao xanh. (Looking up at the sky.)
  • Mong cao xanh phù hộ. (May Heaven grant protection.)
  • Ơn cao xanh đã giúp anh ta vượt qua khó khăn. (The grace of Providence helped him overcome difficulties.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily found in classical poetry, formal writing, or proverbs, conveying a sense of reverence, vastness, or destiny. It is not used in everyday, casual conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Bầu trời (n): The sky. This is the standard, modern, and neutral term.
• Thiên đường (n): Heaven (as a religious paradise).
• Thượng đế / Ông trời (n): God; the Lord of Heaven. These refer more directly to a deity rather than the physical sky.

Synonyms

• Sky
• Heavens
• Firmament
• Providence (in a metaphorical sense)
• The celestial vault

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Trông lên cao xanh: To look up to the heavens (often implying a plea or a sigh towards fate).
• Cao xanh có mắt: Literally "the blue heaven has eyes"; a proverb meaning "Heaven is just" or "divine justice is watching."

1. (cũ) Sky, Heaven, Providence