lưu li

lưu li

Một chiếc vòng cổ được làm từ viên lưu li màu xanh lam.

Definition

Noun: 1. Lapis lazuli: A deep blue, semi-precious stone, historically prized for its color and used in jewelry and ornamentation. 2. (Archaic, Literary) A precious gem/jewel: Used in classical Vietnamese literature to refer to a valuable, beautiful gemstone in general. 3. (Archaic) A wandering, displaced life: A metaphorical use describing a life of wandering or living far from one's homeland, often with a sense of preciousness lost or adrift.

Usage Examples
  • Noun (Literal - Lapis Lazuli):
    • Chiếc vòng tay được làm từ ngọc lưu li xanh thẫm. (The bracelet is made from deep blue lapis lazuli.)
    • Màu lưu li thường được dùng trong các bức tranh thời Phục Hưng. (The color of lapis lazuli was often used in Renaissance paintings.)
  • Noun (Literary - Precious Gem):
    • Trong thơ cổ, vẻ đẹp của nàng được ví như ngọc lưu li. (In ancient poetry, her beauty was compared to a precious gem.)
  • Noun (Metaphorical - Wandering Life):
    • Cuộc đời lưu li nơi đất khách quê người. (A life of wandering/displacement in a foreign land.)
Advanced Usage
  • "Đời lưu li": A set phrase meaning "a life of exile/displacement" or "a wandering, rootless life."
    • Sau biến cố, ông ấy sống một đời lưu li. (After the upheaval, he lived a life of exile/displacement.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Ngọc lưu li: A more common compound form specifically meaning "lapis lazuli (gemstone)."
  • Lưu lạc (Verb): To wander, to live in exile, to be displaced. This is the more common modern word for the concept of wandering.
    • Gia đình ông phải lưu lạc khắp nơi để tránh chiến tranh. (His family had to wander everywhere to avoid the war.)
Synonyms
  • Lapis lazuli: (For the stone) Ultramarine (for the color).
  • Ngọc (Noun): Jade, gem; a general term for precious stones.
  • Châu báu (Noun): Jewels, treasures.
  • Lưu lạc (Verb): To wander, to be exiled. (For the metaphorical meaning).
Notes on Usage
  • "Lưu li" is a literary and somewhat archaic word in modern Vietnamese. In contemporary language, "ngọc lưu li" is used for the gemstone, and "lưu lạc" is used for the concept of wandering/displacement.
  • Its use often carries a classical, poetic, or melancholic tone, especially when referring to the metaphorical meaning of a displaced life.