Definition

1. Proper Noun:
   • The Milky Way (galaxy): "sông Ngân" is the Vietnamese poetic and literary name for the Milky Way galaxy, often used in mythology, poetry, and romantic contexts.
   • The Silver River: A direct, metaphorical translation reflecting its appearance as a shimmering, river-like band of stars across the night sky.

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • Trên bầu trời đêm, sông Ngân lấp lánh như một dải lụa. (In the night sky, the Milky Way shimmers like a silk ribbon.)
  • Theo truyền thuyết, Ngưu Lang và Chức Nữ gặp nhau trên cầu Ô Thước bắc qua sông Ngân. (According to legend, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet each other on the Magpie Bridge across the Milky Way.)

Advanced Usage

• "bên kia sông Ngân": on the other side of the Milky Way; used metaphorically to indicate a great distance or separation.
  • Chàng trai ấy như đến từ bên kia sông Ngân. (That young man seems to come from the other side of the Milky Way.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngân Hà: This is the more standard, scientific term for the Milky Way galaxy. It is interchangeable with "sông Ngân" but is less poetic and more commonly used in formal or astronomical contexts.
  • Ngân Hà là một thiên hà xoắn ốc. (The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy.)
• Dải Ngân Hà: Another common term meaning "the Milky Way band," emphasizing its visual appearance.

Synonyms

• Milky Way: The direct English equivalent.
• The Galaxy: When capitalized, it can refer to our Milky Way galaxy.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "xa cách như sông Ngân": to be as far apart as the Milky Way; an idiom describing an immense, seemingly insurmountable distance, often between lovers.
  • Họ yêu nhau nhưng lại cách xa nhau như sông Ngân. (They love each other but are separated as if by the Milky Way.)

1. The Milky Way