Definition

1. Noun:
   • Waning sunlight / declining sun: Refers specifically to the weak, slanting sunlight in the late afternoon, just before sunset, when the sun is near or below the horizon.
   • Ghost sun / eerie sun: A poetic and somewhat folkloric term implying the sunlight is unusual, potentially harsh, or has a strange, lingering quality as day turns to evening.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong ánh nắng quái, mọi vật đều dài ra. (In the waning sunlight, everything casts long shadows.)
  • Bà tôi thường bảo không nên ra đồng lúc nắng quái. (My grandmother often said not to go to the fields during the eerie evening sun.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nắng quái" often carries a superstitious or atmospheric connotation. It is not merely a time of day but is sometimes culturally associated with a time when spirits or supernatural forces might be active, or when the light plays tricks on the eyes.

Variants and Related Words

• Nắng tà (n): Evening sunlight, slanting sunlight. A more neutral synonym.

  • Nắng tà chiếu xiên qua cửa sổ. (The slanting evening sun shone through the window.)

• Hoàng hôn (n): Sunset, dusk. Refers to the time period itself.

  • Cảnh vật thật đẹp lúc hoàng hôn. (The scenery is very beautiful at sunset.)

Synonyms

• Slanting light: Light coming in at a low angle.
• Late afternoon sun: Sunlight characteristic of the late day.
• Gloaming light: Poetic term for light in the twilight.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Nắng quái chiều hôm: A common phrase emphasizing the time, meaning "the declining sun of the late afternoon."
  • Nắng quái chiều hôm làm con đường vắng thêm hiu quạnh. (The declining evening sun made the deserted road seem even lonelier.)