Definition

1. Noun:
   • Book edge / Fore-edge: The outer vertical edge of the pages of a book, opposite the spine. This is the surface that is visible when a book is closed and placed on a shelf.
   • Decorative edge: Specifically refers to this edge when it has been decorated, often with color, gilt (gold leaf), or marbling.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cuốn sách cổ có gạch bìa được mạ vàng rất đẹp. (The antique book has a beautifully gilded fore-edge.)
  • Anh ấy sưu tầm những cuốn sách có gạch bìa được tô điểm cầu kỳ. (He collects books with elaborately decorated page edges.)

Advanced Usage

• "Gạch bìa vàng" / "Gạch bìa mạ vàng": A gilt edge; a book edge decorated with gold leaf or gold-colored paint.
  • Bộ sách bách khoa toàn thư này có gạch bìa vàng. (This encyclopedia set has gilt edges.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gáy sách (n): The spine of a book.
• Bìa sách (n): The cover of a book.
• Cắt gạch bìa (v): To edge; the process of decorating the fore-edge of a book.

Synonyms

• Fore-edge: The technical term for the outer edge of a book's pages.
• Book edge: A more general term.
• Gilt edge: Specifically when the edge is gilded.

Notes on Usage

• The term "gạch bìa" is a shortened form of "gạch bìa sách." It is a specialized term used primarily in book collecting, bookbinding, and descriptions of antique or high-quality books. In everyday conversation about modern paperbacks, this term is rarely used.