porcelain

/'pɔ:slin/

Thân thiện

A delicate porcelain vase sits on a wooden shelf.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hard, white, translucent ceramic material: Porcelain is a type of fine ceramic ware, traditionally made from specific clays like kaolin, and fired at high temperatures. It is known for its strength, whiteness, and translucency.
   • Objects made from this material: The term also refers to decorative or utilitarian items, such as dishes, vases, or figurines, crafted from this ceramic.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The museum has a beautiful collection of 18th-century Chinese porcelain.
  • She carefully washed the delicate porcelain teacup.
  • The statue is made of fine, white porcelain.

Advanced Usage

• "Porcelain" as an attributive noun (used to describe other nouns):
  • A porcelain doll. (A doll made of porcelain.)
  • The porcelain sink was easy to clean.
• Figurative use to describe delicacy or fragility:
  • Her skin was like porcelain. (Meaning it was very smooth, pale, and delicate.)

Variants and Related Words

• Porcelainize (verb, rare): To make into or coat with a substance resembling porcelain.
• Porcelaneous or Porcellaneous (adjective): Resembling porcelain in texture or appearance.
  • The shell had a porcelaneous luster.

Synonyms

• China: Often used interchangeably with "porcelain" for tableware.
• Ceramic: A broader category that includes porcelain, earthenware, and stoneware.
• Pottery: A general term for objects made from fired clay, which can include porcelain.

Related Phrases

• Bone china: A type of porcelain that includes bone ash, making it very strong and translucent.
• Porcelain enamel: A glassy coating fused to metal, not technically porcelain ceramic, but named for its glossy, hard surface.

Related Idioms

• (To have) a porcelain complexion: An idiom describing very clear, smooth, and pale skin.
  • The actress was famous for her porcelain complexion.
• Porcelain throne (humorous/slang): A euphemism for a toilet, often a high-quality one.
  • He spent a long time on the porcelain throne reading the newspaper.

Học thuật

Noun

1. ceramic ware made of a more or less translucent ceramic