Definition

1. Noun (Archaic):
   • The pentatonic scale: In traditional East Asian music theory, "cung thương" refers to the five-note scale, often described by its first two notes, "cung" (宫, Gong) and "thương" (商, Shang), which represent the first and second degrees of the scale.
   • Music / Melody: By extension, it can poetically represent music, melody, or the art of sound in a classical literary context.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Âm nhạc truyền thống phương Đông thường dựa trên ngũ cung: cung, thương, giốc, chủy, vũ. (Traditional East Asian music is often based on the pentatonic scale: Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu.)
  • Tiếng đàn nghe đầy đủ cung thương. (The sound of the zither is filled with the full range of notes/melody.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily found in classical poetry, scholarly texts, or discussions of traditional music theory. It is not used in modern everyday conversation about music.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe something that is harmonious or melodious in a literary sense.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngũ cung (n): pentatonic scale. The full five-note scale.
• Âm giai ngũ cung (n): pentatonic scale (modern technical term).
• Cung, thương, giốc, chủy, vũ (n): The five notes of the traditional pentatonic scale: Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu.

Synonyms

• Pentatonic scale: A musical scale with five notes per octave.
• Musical notes / tones: The constituent pitches of music.
• Melody: A sequence of musical notes.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Đủ cung thương: To have all the notes; used to describe something (like speech or writing) that is emotionally rich and expressive, covering the full range of feelings.
  • Bài văn của cô ấy nghe thật đủ cung thương. (Her essay sounds truly full of emotional depth and resonance.)
• Cung thương dâu bể: A poetic phrase where "cung thương" (music/notes) is contrasted with "dâu bể" (the mulberry field and the sea, symbolizing great changes). It evokes the feeling of life's vicissitudes, like shifting melodies.
  • Cuộc đời trải qua bao cung thương dâu bể. (Life has gone through so many melodic shifts and great changes.)