mái nhà
Definition
- Noun:
- Roof: The structure that forms the top covering of a building, providing protection from weather elements like rain, sun, and wind.
- Shelter / Home (figurative): Often used metaphorically to represent a home, family, or a place of safety and belonging.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mái nhà màu đỏ đó rất dễ thấy. (That red roof is very easy to see.)
- Cơn bão làm hư hỏng mái nhà của họ. (The storm damaged their roof.)
- Sau nhiều năm xa cách, cuối cùng anh ấy cũng trở về dưới mái nhà của mình. (After many years away, he finally returned to his own roof/home.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "mái" by itself can refer to a sloping surface or cover (e.g., - hair, - awning). When combined with "nhà" (house), it specifically denotes the roof of a house or building.
- It is a key component in the common Vietnamese phrase for "homeless": "không có mái nhà" (to not have a roof).
Variants and Related Words
Mái ấm (n): Literally "warm roof." A common and poetic term for a loving home or family hearth.
- Họ cùng nhau xây dựng một mái ấm hạnh phúc. (They built a happy home together.)
Mái che (n): A shelter, awning, or any overhead cover.
- Chúng tôi trú mưa dưới một mái che tạm bợ. (We took shelter from the rain under a makeshift awning.)
Nóc nhà (n): The apex, ridge, or topmost part of the roof. Can sometimes be used interchangeably with mái nhà, but often refers more specifically to the rooftop or summit.
- Cậu bé thả diều trên nóc nhà. (The boy flies a kite on the rooftop.)
Synonyms
- Roof: The primary synonym for the physical structure.
- Shelter: When emphasizing protection.
- Home: When used in its figurative sense.
Related Idioms and Phrases
Mái nhà tranh: A thatched roof. Symbolizes simplicity, rural life, or poverty.
- Tuổi thơ tôi gắn liền với một mái nhà tranh. (My childhood was tied to a thatched-roof house.)
Chung một mái nhà: To share a roof; to live together (as a family, roommates).
- Họ đã chung một mái nhà được hơn mười năm. (They have shared a roof for over ten years.)