nghê
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A mythical lion-like creature in Vietnamese culture: "nghê" refers to a stylized, often young-looking lion figure, typically depicted in a sitting or crouching position, used as a decorative architectural element.
- A decorative statue on structures: It commonly denotes a small sculpted figure, resembling a lion, placed atop pillars, incense burners, or roofs of traditional buildings like temples, pagodas, and communal houses.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trên nóc đình làng có đôi nghê bằng đá. (On the roof of the village communal house, there is a pair of stone nghê.)
- Chiếc đỉnh đồng cổ được chạm khắc hình nghê rất tinh xảo. (The ancient bronze incense burner is intricately carved with the image of a nghê.)
Advanced Usage
- "tượng nghê": nghê statue.
- Cổng tam quan được trang trí bằng những tượng nghê uy nghi. (The three-entrance gate is decorated with majestic nghê statues.)
Variants and Related Words
- Lân (Noun): Another mythical creature, often a lion-dragon hybrid, used in lion dances and decorations. While sometimes confused, "lân" and "nghê" are distinct figures in Vietnamese iconography.
- Sư tử (Noun): Lion. This is the real animal, whereas "nghê" is a mythical, stylized version specific to Vietnamese tradition.
Synonyms
- Stone lion: (when referring to its common material and lion-like form).
- Mythical lion: (emphasizing its legendary and decorative nature).
Related Idioms
(Note: "Nghê" itself is not commonly used in modern Vietnamese idioms. It is primarily a term for a specific cultural artifact.)
- (từ cũ) Lion's club, smaal lion (as a decoration on top of pillars or incense-burners)