Definition

1. Proper Noun:
   • A poetic and affectionate personification of the Moon in Vietnamese folklore and culture: "Chị Hằng" refers to the Moon, often depicted as a beautiful, gentle lady living in a palace on the Moon. This term is deeply rooted in mythology and is commonly used in poetry, children's stories, and during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu).

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • Trẻ em thường nghe kể chuyện về chị Hằng trên cung trăng. (Children often hear stories about Lady Hằng in the Moon Palace.)
  • Đêm Trung Thu, chị Hằng trông thật tròn và sáng. (On Mid-Autumn night, Lady Hằng looks very round and bright.)
  • Trong thơ ca, chị Hằng là biểu tượng của vẻ đẹp và sự cô đơn. (In poetry, Lady Hằng is a symbol of beauty and loneliness.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chị Hằng" in Cultural Context: The term is almost exclusively used in a cultural, literary, or festive context. It personifies the moon, giving it a sisterly, familiar, and benevolent character, especially in tales for children.
  • Câu chuyện cổ tích về chú Cuội và chị Hằng rất nổi tiếng. (The fairy tale about Cuội and Lady Hằng is very famous.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hằng Nga: This is another name for the same lunar goddess, directly derived from the Chinese myth of Chang'e. It is slightly more formal or classical than "Chị Hằng."
  • Truyền thuyết Hằng Nga bay lên cung trăng. (The legend of Hằng Nga flying to the Moon Palace.)
• Mặt trăng: (Noun) The standard, neutral term for "the moon" as a celestial body, without any personification.
  • Mặt trăng quay quanh Trái đất. (The moon orbits the Earth.)

Synonyms

• Cung trăng: (Noun) The Moon Palace; often used poetically to refer to the moon's domain where "Chị Hằng" resides.
• Vầng trăng: (Noun) The orb/moon; a common poetic synonym for the moon.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Lên cung trăng (đi gặp chị Hằng): An idiomatic and euphemistic phrase meaning "to pass away" or "to die," drawing on the imagery of ascending to the moon palace.
  • Ông cụ đã thanh thản lên cung trăng. (The old man peacefully passed away.)
• Ước gì được gặp chị Hằng: A poetic or wistful expression meaning "I wish I could meet Lady Hằng," often used to express a longing for something beautiful, magical, or unattainable.

1. Phoebe, the moon