ngấn ngọc
Definition
Noun: - A poetic and literary term describing the tear-streaked face or the traces of tears on the face of a beautiful woman. It evokes an image of tears glistening like or alongside precious jade, combining beauty with sorrow.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trên gương mặt nàng, những ngấn ngọc vẫn còn in hằn sau đêm dài khóc thương. (On her face, the traces of tears still remained after a long night of mourning.)
- Câu chuyện buồn để lại trong mắt nàng những ngấn ngọc long lanh. (The sad story left glistening tear tracks in her eyes.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is almost exclusively used in classical or romantic literary contexts, poetry, and lyrical prose to create a vivid, aesthetic, and emotionally charged image. It is not used in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Lệ ngọc (n): A related poetic term meaning "jade tears," directly referring to tears themselves as precious as jade.
- Giọt lệ ngọc lăn trên má. (A jade-like tear rolled down her cheek.)
Synonyms
- Tear stains: Marks left by dried tears.
- Tear tracks: The visible paths tears make on the skin.
Related Idioms
- While "ngấn ngọc" itself is not part of a common idiom, it relates to the poetic theme of "mặt hoa da phấn, lệ ngọc" (a flower-like face, powder-like skin, jade tears), describing the beauty of a weeping woman in classical literature.