ngậm trăng nửa vành
Definition
- Noun phrase (idiom):
- To hold half a disc of moon in one's mouth: A poetic and literary idiom describing a specific evening scene where a camellia flower, illuminated by moonlight, appears to be cradling or containing a bright, crescent-like portion of the moon. It evokes a serene, beautiful, and somewhat melancholic image of dusk or early night.
Usage Examples
- Noun phrase:
- Trong bài thơ, hình ảnh "ngậm trăng nửa vành" gợi lên một khung cảnh đêm thu thật êm đềm. (In the poem, the image of "ngậm trăng nửa vành" evokes a very peaceful autumn night scene.)
- Nhà thơ ví những đóa trà mi như đang ngậm trăng nửa vành. (The poet likened the camellia blossoms to holding half a disc of moon in their mouths.)
Advanced Usage
- This phrase is almost exclusively used in poetic, literary, or highly descriptive contexts. It is not used in everyday conversation. Its function is to create a vivid, aesthetic image for the reader or listener.
Variants and Related Words
Trăng non (n): new moon, crescent moon.
- Bầu trời đêm chỉ có vầng trăng non. (The night sky held only a crescent moon.)
Hoa trà mi (n): camellia flower.
- Hoa trà mi nở vào mùa đông. (Camellia flowers bloom in winter.)
Synonyms
- Poetic description of a moonlit flower: A general term for the literary technique this idiom exemplifies.
- Crescent moon cradled in petals: A descriptive paraphrase of the idiom's core image.
Related Idioms
- Trăng treo đầu súng: (moon hanging on the tip of a rifle) - A famous Vietnamese poetic image symbolizing the coexistence of beauty and hardship, often associated with soldiers.
- Ngậm ngùi: (to hold sorrow in one's mouth) - An idiom meaning to be filled with poignant sadness or melancholy. It shares the verb "ngậm" (to hold in the mouth) and a similar melancholic tone.