Definition

Noun: * Opium: A highly addictive narcotic drug prepared from the dried latex of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Historically, it has been used as a painkiller and recreational drug, often smoked.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nha phiến là một chất gây nghiện nguy hiểm. (Opium is a dangerous addictive substance.)
  • Lịch sử ghi nhận những cuộc chiến tranh liên quan đến nha phiến. (History records wars related to opium.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is considered archaic or historical in modern Vietnamese. In contemporary legal, medical, or general contexts, the more common terms are thuốc phiện or a phiện.
• It is primarily used in historical or literary contexts, such as when referring to the Opium Wars ().

Variants and Related Words

• Thuốc phiện (noun): The standard modern term for opium.
• A phiện (noun): Another common term for opium, derived from the Chinese word.
• Ma túy (noun): A general term for narcotics/drugs. Opium is a type of .
• Anh túc (noun): The opium poppy plant ().

Synonyms

• Thuốc phiện: Opium.
• A phiện: Opium.

Notes on Meaning

• The word nha phiến (牙片) is of Sino-Vietnamese origin, literally meaning "tooth/ivory slices," which may refer to the form in which opium was sometimes prepared or traded historically.
• It carries strong historical connotations, particularly related to trade, colonialism, and conflict in East Asia during the 19th century.

noun

1. opium
   • Chiến tranh nha phiến
     The war of opium