mai câu

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A plum blossom hairpin or hair ornament: A decorative item for the hair, traditionally shaped like or adorned with plum blossoms (hoa mai). It is an element of feminine adornment.
   • Figuratively, feminine adornment or makeup: By extension, the term can poetically refer to the act of a woman applying makeup or beautifying herself.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cô ấy cài một chiếc mai câu bằng bạc lên tóc. (She pinned a silver plum blossom hairpin in her hair.)
  • Hạnh Nguyên chẳng buồn điểm trang, mai câu đã bỏ quên từ lâu. (Hanh Nguyen no longer bothers with adornment; the hairpin has long been forgotten.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is primarily literary or poetic and is used to evoke classical beauty, feminine grace, or, as in the reference example, the neglect of such adornment due to melancholy or lost love.

Variants and Related Words

• Trâm cài (n): A general term for a hairpin or hair clasp.
• Hoa mai (n): Plum blossom, the flower that inspires the ornament's design.

Synonyms

• Hair ornament: A decorative item for the hair.
• Hairpin: A pin for holding the hair in place, often decorative.

Related Idioms

• While "mai câu" itself is not commonly part of a modern idiom, its use often carries a poetic sentiment related to "son phấn" (rouge and powder), symbolizing feminine beauty and vanity.
  • Bỏ quên son phấn, mai câu: To neglect rouge and hairpins; to stop caring about one's appearance, often due to sorrow.