cổ ngạn

Ông tôi thường nhắc đến một cổ ngạn: "Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây".

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An old saying; an ancient adage: "Cổ ngạn" refers to a traditional, often wise or instructive, saying that has been passed down through generations. It emphasizes the age and established nature of the phrase.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông tôi thường nhắc đến một cổ ngạn: "Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây". (My grandfather often mentions an old saying: "When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.")
  • Cổ ngạn này đã dạy chúng ta bài học về lòng biết ơn. (This ancient adage has taught us a lesson about gratitude.)

Advanced Usage

• "The wisdom of a cổ ngạn": The inherent wisdom contained within an old adage.
  • Chúng ta không nên coi thường trí tuệ trong những cổ ngạn. (We should not look down on the wisdom in old sayings.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngạn ngữ (n): Proverb; a common, short saying that expresses a general truth or piece of advice. While similar, "ngạn ngữ" is a broader, more common term for proverb, whereas "cổ ngạn" specifically highlights the saying's antiquity.
• Tục ngữ (n): Folk proverb; a traditional, often metaphorical saying expressing common sense or cultural norms.
• Cổ ngôn (n): Ancient words; old speech. This is a close synonym but can refer more generally to ancient speech rather than a specific adage.

Synonyms

• Câu nói cổ: Old saying.
• Châm ngôn: Maxim, adage (often with a more formal or instructive tone).

Related Phrases

• Theo cổ ngạn: According to an old adage.
  • Theo cổ ngạn, "có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim". (According to an old adage, "persistence turns iron into a needle.")