Definition

1. Noun:
   • Rice (as food): An archaic, literary, or formal Vietnamese term for cooked rice or rice as a staple food. It carries a poetic and respectful connotation, often used in classical literature or formal contexts to elevate the humble grain.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong thơ cổ, "ngọc thực" thường tượng trưng cho lương thực quý giá. (In ancient poetry, "ngọc thực" often symbolizes precious sustenance.)
  • Vị quan thanh liêm chỉ mong có bát ngọc thực đơn sơ. (The honest official only wished for a simple bowl of rice.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is almost exclusively found in historical texts, classical poetry, or used deliberately for stylistic effect to evoke a sense of antiquity, reverence, or elegance when referring to the basic necessity of food (rice).
  • "An bình ngọc thực" là ước vọng ngàn đời của người dân. ("Peace and rice" is the eternal aspiration of the people.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cơm: The standard, modern word for cooked rice or a meal.
• Gạo: The standard word for uncooked rice.
• Lương thực: Food staples, provisions (a broader, more formal term).
• Hạt ngọc trời: A poetic metaphor for rice ("heaven's jewel grain").

Synonyms

• Cơm (cooked rice/meal): The direct modern synonym.
• Lúa gạo (rice, both as plant and grain): Refers to rice in agricultural or general terms.

Notes on Usage

• "Ngọc thực" is an obsolete term (marked as or ). It is not used in everyday modern conversation. Learners should recognize it as a historical or literary word. The modern and correct terms for daily use are "cơm" (cooked rice/meal) and "gạo" (uncooked rice).

1. (từ cũ) rice