hai Kiều
Definition
- Proper Noun:
- The Two Kieu Sisters: Refers specifically to the two famously beautiful sisters, Thuy Kieu and Thuy Van, from the classic Vietnamese epic poem Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu) by Nguyen Du.
- A Metaphor for Great Beauty: Used idiomatically to refer to two exceptionally beautiful women, often sisters, evoking the standard of beauty and tragedy associated with the literary characters.
Usage Examples
- Proper Noun:
- Trong "Truyện Kiều", hai Kiều là những tuyệt thế giai nhân. (In "The Tale of Kieu", the Two Kieu sisters are peerless beauties.)
- Làng tôi có đôi chị em xinh đẹp, mọi người ví họ như hai Kiều. (My village has a pair of beautiful sisters; people compare them to the Two Kieu.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is deeply rooted in Vietnamese literary culture. Using it implies not just physical beauty but also an association with the virtues, talents, and poignant fates of the original characters.
Variants and Related Words
- Thúy Kiều: The elder sister, the main protagonist of the epic.
- Thúy Vân: The younger sister of Thuy Kieu.
- Truyện Kiều: The literary work in which the characters appear.
Synonyms
- Two beauties: A general term for two beautiful women.
- Peerless sisters: Emphasizes their unmatched beauty.
Related Idioms
- Đẹp như hai Kiều: (As beautiful as the Two Kieu) A common simile to praise the beauty of two women.
- Hai cô con gái ấy đẹp như hai Kiều. (Those two daughters are as beautiful as the Two Kieu.)