Definition

Noun * The present and the past; ancient and modern; all ages: A compound word used to refer to the entirety of time, encompassing both the ancient past and the contemporary present. It is often used in literary or formal contexts to discuss timeless topics, comparisons across eras, or things that are renowned throughout history.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Câu chuyện đó là một giai thoại nổi tiếng kim cổ. (That story is a famous anecdote known throughout the ages.)
  • Anh ấy am hiểu sâu sắc về văn hóa kim cổ. (He has a profound understanding of ancient and modern culture.)
  • Đó là một chủ đề được bàn luận xuyên suốt kim cổ. (That is a topic discussed throughout all of history.)

Advanced Usage

• "Xưa nay kim cổ": A common four-character idiom that reinforces the meaning of "from past to present, throughout all ages."
  • Tình yêu là đề tài muôn thuở, xưa nay kim cổ chưa ai định nghĩa được trọn vẹn. (Love is an eternal theme; from ancient times to the present, no one has been able to define it completely.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cổ kim (Noun): A less common variant with the same meaning as "kim cổ" (ancient and modern). The word order is reversed.
  • Những bài học cổ kim vẫn còn nguyên giá trị. (The lessons from ancient times to the present still hold their value.)

Synonyms

• Xưa và nay (Phrase): Past and present. (A more common and direct synonym.)
• Cổ và hiện đại (Phrase): Ancient and modern. (More formal, often used for objects or styles.)
• Muôn thuở (Adjective): Eternal, everlasting. (Emphasizes timelessness rather than the contrast between eras.)

Related Idioms

• "Kim cổ kỳ quan": An ancient and modern wonder; a marvel for all ages.
  • Vịnh Hạ Long được xem là một kim cổ kỳ quan của Việt Nam. (Ha Long Bay is considered an ancient and modern wonder of Vietnam.)
• "Bàn luận kim cổ": To discuss topics spanning ancient and modern times.
  • Họ ngồi uống trà và bàn luận kim cổ. (They sat drinking tea and discussing matters of all ages.)

1. The present and the past