kim chỉ nam
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- Magnetic needle: The literal meaning refers to the magnetized needle of a compass, which points towards magnetic north and is used for navigation.
- Lodestar / Guiding principle: The figurative and most common meaning. It refers to a person, idea, rule, or belief that serves as a reliable guide for direction, action, or thought.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong sa mạc, chiếc la bàn với kim chỉ nam là vật dụng sống còn. (In the desert, a compass with its magnetic needle is an essential tool for survival.)
- Tư tưởng Hồ Chí Minh là kim chỉ nam cho cách mạng Việt Nam. (Ho Chi Minh's thought is the lodestar for the Vietnamese revolution.)
- Lòng trung thực phải là kim chỉ nam trong kinh doanh. (Honesty must be the guiding principle in business.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in its figurative sense in modern Vietnamese to denote a fundamental, trusted guide. It carries a formal and positive connotation, often used in political, ideological, moral, or strategic contexts.
Variants and Related Words
- La bàn (n): Compass. This is the common word for the physical instrument containing the .
- Chúng tôi dùng la bàn để tìm đường. (We used a compass to find our way.)
Synonyms
- Guide: A person or thing that leads or directs.
- Principle: A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior.
- Beacon: A person or thing that warns, guides, or offers encouragement.
Related Idioms
- While "kim chỉ nam" itself is often used as a metaphorical idiom, a related concept is:
- Ngọn hải đăng (literally: lighthouse): Often used similarly to mean a guiding light or beacon in a figurative sense.
- Người thầy ấy là ngọn hải đăng dẫn lối cho bao thế hệ học sinh. (That teacher is a lighthouse guiding generations of students.)
- Magnetic needle.
- (bóng)Lodestar