Definition

1. Noun:
   • A horizontal lacquered board, typically made of wood, which is engraved, inlaid, or painted with Chinese characters (Hán tự). It is a traditional decorative and honorific item, often hung above the main altar or entrance in Vietnamese temples, communal houses (đình), pagodas, and family ancestral shrines.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong đình làng treo một bức hoành phi rất lớn. (A very large horizontal lacquered board hangs in the village communal house.)
  • Hoành phi thường được sơn son thếp vàng. (Horizontal lacquered boards are often painted in red lacquer and gilded with gold.)
  • Trên hoành phi có bốn chữ Hán: "Đức Lưu Quang". (On the horizontal board are four Chinese characters: "Đức Lưu Quang" [Virtue Shines Forth].)

Advanced Usage

• "hoành phi câu đối": This phrase refers to the traditional pair of decorative items. The "hoành phi" is the horizontal board, and "câu đối" are the parallel vertical scrolls or panels that often flank it.
  • Không gian thờ cúng trang trí đầy đủ hoành phi câu đối. (The worship space is fully decorated with a horizontal board and parallel panels.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đại tự (n): A synonym for "hoành phi," also meaning a large board with inscribed characters. It emphasizes the large, calligraphic nature of the characters.
  • Bức đại tự này được làm từ gỗ mít. (This large calligraphic board is made from jackfruit wood.)

Synonyms

• Horizontal inscribed board: A direct descriptive synonym.
• Lacquered tablet: Emphasizes the crafted and coated nature of the object.
• Calligraphic plaque: Highlights the artistic script.

Related Cultural Concepts

• Thờ cúng tổ tiên (ancestor worship): The primary context in which a "hoành phi" is used in a family home.

  • Hoành phi là vật không thể thiếu trên bàn thờ gia tiên. (The horizontal board is an indispensable item on the family ancestral altar.)

• Hán Nôm (Sino-Vietnamese characters): The typical script used for the inscriptions on a "hoành phi."

  • Chữ trên hoành phi thường là chữ Hán Nôm. (The characters on the horizontal board are usually Sino-Vietnamese characters.)

1. Horizontal lacquered board (engraved with Chinese characters)