Definition

1. Noun:
   • Black and white: Literally refers to the two contrasting colors black and white.
   • Right and wrong, good and evil: Figuratively refers to a clear distinction between opposing moral or ethical principles, such as correct/incorrect or good/bad.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong bức tranh này, nghệ sĩ chỉ sử dụng hai màu hắc bạch. (In this painting, the artist uses only the two colors black and white.)
  • Một thẩm phán tốt phải phân biệt rõ ràng giữa hắc bạch. (A good judge must clearly distinguish between right and wrong.)
  • Câu chuyện không đơn giản chỉ là hắc bạch; còn có nhiều sắc thái xám. (The story isn't simply black and white; there are many shades of grey.)

Advanced Usage

• "hắc bạch phân minh": A common four-word idiom meaning "to draw a clear distinction between right and wrong" or "to be absolutely clear about what is right and what is wrong."
  • Công lý đòi hỏi sự hắc bạch phân minh. (Justice demands a clear distinction between right and wrong.)

Variants and Related Words

• Trắng đen: A more common modern synonym with the same literal (black and white) and figurative (right and wrong) meanings.
  • Thế giới không chỉ có trắng đen. (The world isn't just black and white.)
• Phải trái: Means "right and wrong" but does not carry the literal color meaning.
  • Anh ấy hiểu rõ phải trái. (He understands right and wrong clearly.)

Synonyms

• Đúng sai: Right and wrong (focuses on correctness).
• Thiện ác: Good and evil (focuses on morality).

Related Idioms

• "Rõ như ban ngày": As clear as daylight. (Used to describe something very obvious, similar to the clarity implied by "hắc bạch phân minh".)
• "Một phân minh": To be very clear and distinct. (Often used in a similar context to emphasize clarity in judgment.)

1. Black and white; wrong and right
   • hắc bạch phân minh
     There must be a clear distinction between the right and the wrong