giấc kê vàng
Definition
- Noun:
- A golden dream; a beautiful but illusory dream: This term refers to a wonderful, happy dream, often implying that the dream is unrealistic, fleeting, or ultimately an illusion. It is a literary and metaphorical expression.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Anh ta đang sống trong giấc kê vàng của tuổi trẻ. (He is living in the golden dream of youth.)
- Giấc kê vàng ấy cuối cùng cũng tan biến. (That golden dream finally vanished.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is a direct translation of the Chinese idiom "黄粱美梦" (huáng liáng měi mèng), which originates from a fable about a poor scholar who dreams a whole lifetime of wealth and glory only to wake up and find his pot of yellow millet is still cooking. It strongly conveys the idea of a brief, illusory fantasy.
Variants and Related Words
- Giấc mơ hoàng lương: This is a direct synonym, using the Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese characters. It has the same meaning as "giấc kê vàng".
- Đó chỉ là giấc mơ hoàng lương mà thôi. (That is merely a pipe dream.)
Synonyms
- Pipe dream: An unrealistic hope or fantasy.
- Illusion: A false idea or belief.
- Fantasy: A pleasant situation that you imagine but is unlikely to happen.
Related Idioms
- Giấc mộng đẹp: A beautiful dream (can be used literally or metaphorically, but is less specific about the illusory nature than "giấc kê vàng").
- Kế hoạch của họ chỉ là một giấc mộng đẹp. (Their plan is just a beautiful dream.)