Definition

1. Noun:

   • Ivory: The hard, white material that primarily comes from the tusks of elephants, used historically for carving ornamental objects.
   • Tusk: Specifically refers to the long, pointed tooth (an elongated upper incisor) of an elephant that is made of ivory.

2. Adjective:

   • Ivory-colored: Describing a pale, creamy-white color resembling that of ivory.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Ivory/Material):

  • Chiếc lược được làm từ ngà. (The comb is made from ivory.)
  • Buôn bán ngà voi là bất hợp pháp. (Trading elephant ivory is illegal.)

• Noun (Tusk):

  • Con voi có đôi ngà rất dài. (The elephant has very long tusks.)

• Adjective (Color):

  • Cô ấy mặc chiếc váy màu ngà. (She is wearing an ivory-colored dress.)

Advanced Usage

• "ngà ngà": An adjective describing a slight, subdued hue, often a pale tint of a color (like yellow or red), or a state of being slightly intoxicated.
  • Bầu trời ngà ngà vàng lúc hoàng hôn. (The sky is tinged with pale yellow at sunset.)
  • Anh ấy say ngà ngà. (He is slightly tipsy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngà voi (n): Elephant ivory; the most common specific term for ivory.

  • Đồ thủ công từ ngà voi. (Handicrafts from elephant ivory.)

• Ngà răng (n): Dentin; the hard, dense bony tissue forming the bulk of a tooth beneath the enamel.

  • Ngà răng có màu hơi vàng. (Dentin has a slightly yellow color.)

Synonyms

• Ivory: The creamy-white material.
• Tusk: The elongated tooth itself.
• Off-white / Cream: For the color.

Related Idioms

• Trong như ngọc, trắng như ngà: An idiom meaning "as clear as jade, as white as ivory," used to describe something or someone of great purity and beauty.
  • Làn da cô ấy trắng như ngà. (Her skin is as white as ivory.)

noun

1. ivory
   • đũa ngà
     ivory chopstick. elephant's tusk