gối điệp

Definition

Noun:
- A beautiful dream: A poetic and literary term, now considered archaic, referring to a lovely or pleasant dream experienced during sleep.
- A metaphor for a happy, blissful state or a cherished illusion: Often used figuratively to describe a state of happiness or an ideal that is as fleeting and intangible as a dream.

Usage Examples

Noun:
- Trong cơn mê, nàng có một gối điệp. (In her slumber, she had a beautiful dream.)
- Đời người ngắn ngủi tựa gối điệp mà thôi. (A human life is as brief as a beautiful dream.)
- Anh ấy sống trong gối điệp của tuổi thanh xuân. (He is living in the beautiful dream of his youth.)

Advanced Usage

"Gối điệp" as a classical allusion: The term is deeply rooted in classical Vietnamese literature and Sino-Vietnamese poetic tradition. It evokes a sense of nostalgic beauty and the ephemeral nature of joy and life itself.
Used in contrast with reality: Often appears in literary works to contrast a beautiful dream with a harsh or disappointing reality.
- Tỉnh giấc, gối điệp tan biến, chỉ còn lại nỗi cô đơn. (Waking up, the beautiful dream vanished, leaving only loneliness.)

Variants and Related Words

Giấc mộng (n): A dream. (A more common, neutral term for "dream").
Mộng đẹp (n): A beautiful dream. (A direct, modern synonym).
Ảo mộng (n): An illusion, a fantasy. (Emphasizes the unreal or deceptive aspect).

Synonyms

Related Idioms and Phrases

"Gối điệp chăn hồng": A classical four-word idiom meaning "beautiful dream and rosy blanket." It symbolizes marital bliss, conjugal happiness, or a luxurious and comfortable life, often used in wedding congratulations or descriptions of happy couples.
- Chúc đôi trẻ sống trong gối điệp chăn hồng. (Wishing the young couple a life of conjugal happiness.)
"Tan thành gối điệp": To vanish/disintegrate into a beautiful dream. Means to disappear completely, leaving no trace, often used for lost hopes or vanished fortunes.
- Bao hy vọng của hắn tan thành gối điệp. (All his hopes vanished into thin air.)