Definition

1. Noun:
   • Lily: A type of plant with a herbaceous stem, flowers arranged in a long cluster, often with an ivory-white color and a gentle fragrance. This is the primary meaning, referring specifically to plants in the genus Lloris or similar fragrant, white-flowered plants like the tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa), which is sometimes called "huệ ta" in Vietnamese.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Mẹ tôi thích cắm hoa huệ trong phòng khách. (My mother likes to arrange lilies in the living room.)
  • Hương huệ thơm ngát lan tỏa khắp khu vườn. (The sweet fragrance of the lilies spread throughout the garden.)
  • Đám cưới được trang trí bằng những bó huệ trắng tinh khôi. (The wedding was decorated with bouquets of pristine white lilies.)

Advanced Usage

• "Huệ lan": A poetic or literary compound referring to lilies and orchids, symbolizing purity and elegance.

  • Vẻ đẹp của cô ấy thanh tao như huệ lan. (Her beauty is as refined as lilies and orchids.)

• "Huệ tâm": Literally "lily heart," a term used in Buddhism and poetry to symbolize a pure, compassionate heart.

  • Bà ấy có một huệ tâm, luôn giúp đỡ mọi người. (She has a heart of compassion, always helping others.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bông huệ / Hoa huệ (n): The flower of the lily plant.

  • Bông huệ này mới nở sáng nay. (This lily flower just bloomed this morning.)

• Huệ ta (n): A common name for the tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa), a different but similarly fragrant white flower often grouped under "huệ" in everyday Vietnamese.

  • Huệ ta thường nở về đêm và hương rất nồng. (Tuberoses usually bloom at night and have a very strong fragrance.)

• Huệ tây (n): A term sometimes used for true lilies of the genus Lilium, like Easter lilies.

  • Huệ tây thường có hoa to hơn. (True lilies often have larger flowers.)

Synonyms

• Bách hợp / Bách hợp (n): This is the Sino-Vietnamese name for lily, often used in formal or botanical contexts.

  • Hoa bách hợp cũng là một loại huệ. (The bách hợp flower is also a type of lily.)

• Tuberose (n): The English name for Polianthes tuberosa, corresponding to "huệ ta."

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Thơm như huệ": (As fragrant as a lily) A simile praising a gentle, pleasant fragrance.

  • Mái tóc cô ấy thơm như huệ. (Her hair is as fragrant as a lily.)

• "Trắng như huệ": (As white as a lily) A simile describing pure, spotless white.

  • Tấm áo dài trắng như huệ. (The áo dài is as white as a lily.)

noun

1. lily