cổ lai
Definition
- Adjective (Literary):
- Ancient; from time immemorial; since olden times: A classical, literary term used to describe something that has existed or been true since a very distant, often unspecified, past. It conveys a sense of timelessness and tradition.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Đó là một truyền thống cổ lai. (That is a tradition from time immemorial.)
- Cổ lai chinh chiến kỷ nhân hồi. (Since ancient times, how many have returned from war? - a famous line from poetry.)
- Tình bạn của họ đã có từ cổ lai. (Their friendship has existed since olden times.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in formal, literary, or poetic contexts. It is rarely found in everyday spoken Vietnamese.
- It often appears in classical poetry (), proverbs (), and formal writing to evoke a sense of historical depth and permanence.
Variants and Related Words
- Cổ (adj): ancient, old. A more common and versatile word for "old" or "ancient."
- Thành cổ (ancient citadel).
- Xưa (adj/n): old, former, past. A common word for "old times" or "the past."
- Ngày xưa (in the old days).
Synonyms
- From ancient times: of or belonging to the very distant past.
- Time-honored: respected because it has been used or done for a long time.
- Immemorial: originating in the distant past; very old.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Cổ lai hy (古來稀): A Sino-Vietnamese idiom meaning "rare since ancient times," often used to describe something very uncommon or to refer to the age of 70 (as in, living to 70 was rare since ancient times).
- Thọ cổ lai hy. (To live to the rare old age of seventy.)