cung thiềm

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The Moon: A poetic and literary term referring to the Moon, often used in classical Vietnamese poetry and literature to evoke beauty and imagery.
    • The Lunar Palace: Can also refer to the mythical palace on the Moon, home to the Moon goddess.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Ánh sáng của cung thiềm chiếu xuống mặt hồ. (The light of the Moon shines down on the lake surface.)
    • Trong thơ cổ, cung thiềm thường tượng trưng cho vẻ đẹp và sự cô đơn. (In classical poetry, the Moon often symbolizes beauty and loneliness.)
Advanced Usage
  • "bóng cung thiềm": the shadow or reflection of the Moon.
    • Bóng cung thiềm in hình trên mặt nước. (The Moon's reflection is imprinted on the water's surface.)
  • "cung thiềm cung quế": a phrase pairing "cung thiềm" (Moon palace) with "cung quế" (Cassia palace), both being mythical residences on the Moon, used to enhance poetic imagery.
Variants and Related Words
  • Vầng trăng (n): the Moon (a more common, less literary term).
  • Hằng Nga (n): Chang'e, the goddess of the Moon in East Asian mythology, often associated with "cung thiềm".
  • Nguyệt (n): Moon (Sino-Vietnamese root, used in compound words and classical contexts).
Synonyms
  • Mặt trăng: the Moon (the standard, neutral term).
  • Vầng trăng: the Moon (common in general and poetic use).
Related Idioms
  • "Cung thiềm bẻ quế": Literally "breaking the cassia branch in the Moon palace". This idiom originates from the legend of a scholar attempting to climb to the Moon palace to break a branch of the magical cassia tree. It is used to describe an extremely difficult or nearly impossible task, or to praise someone's exceptional literary talent, as if they could achieve the impossible.
    • Việc đó khó như cung thiềm bẻ quế. (That task is as difficult as breaking the cassia branch in the Moon palace.)