hồ cầm
Definition
- Noun:
- Hu violin: A traditional bowed string musical instrument of the Hu people (an ethnic group historically in northern China). The term is now considered literary or archaic.
- A type of ancient lute: In classical Vietnamese poetry, the term is sometimes used to refer to a type of pipa (a pear-shaped lute).
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Tiếng hồ cầm réo rắt vang lên trong đêm. (The sound of the Hu violin echoed melodiously through the night.)
- Trong thơ cổ, "hồ cầm" thường là hình ảnh của âm nhạc du mục. (In ancient poetry, "hồ cầm" is often an image of nomadic music.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "hồ cầm" is primarily found in literary, historical, or poetic contexts. In modern Vietnamese, specific instrument names like "đàn nhị" (a two-stringed vertical fiddle) or "đàn tỳ bà" (pipa) are more commonly used for clarity.
Variants and Related Words
- Đàn nhị (n): A two-stringed vertical fiddle with a bow, common in traditional Vietnamese music. It is a direct descendant of Hu ethnic instruments.
- Đàn tỳ bà (n): A pear-shaped lute with four strings, used in both Vietnamese and Chinese traditional music. This is the modern, specific term for the lute sometimes referred to as "hồ cầm" in poetry.
- Đàn hồ (n): A less common term, also referring to Hu-style string instruments.
Synonyms
- Đàn nhị (when referring to the bowed instrument).
- Đàn tỳ bà (when referring to the lute in a poetic context).
Related Idioms
- Nghề riêng ăn đứt hồ cầm một chương: A famous line from Nguyễn Du's , meaning "(My) own skill surpasses a movement of the ." It is used to express supreme talent or mastery in a particular art.
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Hu violin (musical instrument of the Hu nationality in China)
