Definition

Noun: 1. The setting sun; the sun as it is about to disappear below the horizon. This is the primary and most common meaning. It refers specifically to the sun during the late afternoon or early evening, often carrying a poetic or slightly melancholic connotation. 2. (Figurative, literary) The late stage of something; a period of decline or ending. This meaning extends from the first, using the image of the setting sun to metaphorically describe the final phase of life, an era, or a dynasty.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ánh tà dương chiếu vàng cả mặt hồ. (The glow of the setting sun gilded the entire lake surface.)
  • Bóng tà dương kéo dài trên cánh đồng. (The shadow of the sinking sun stretched across the field.)
  • Ông ấy đang ở vào buổi tà dương của cuộc đời. (He is in the twilight of his life.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bóng tà dương": A common poetic phrase meaning "the shadow of the setting sun" or "the last rays of the sun." It emphasizes the fading light and is often used to evoke a sense of tranquility mixed with nostalgia or sadness.
  • Ngồi ngắm bóng tà dương dần buông xuống. (Sitting to watch the last rays of the sun gradually descend.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hoàng hôn (n): Sunset, dusk. This is the standard, neutral term for the time of day when the sun sets.
• Nhật lặn (n, literary): Sun setting. A more formal or classical synonym.
• Xế chiều (n): Late afternoon. Refers to the time period, not the sun itself.

Synonyms

• Mặt trời lặn: The setting sun (a descriptive phrase).
• Ánh chiều tà: The late afternoon light (focuses on the light, not the sun disc).

Related Idioms

• "Tuổi xế chiều" / "Buổi xế chiều của cuộc đời": The evening of life; old age. This idiom uses the time of day ("xế chiều" - late afternoon) similarly to how "tà dương" is used figuratively.
  • Cụ đã bước vào tuổi xế chiều nhưng tinh thần vẫn minh mẫn. (The elder has entered the evening of life but remains sharp-minded.)

noun

1. sunset, sundown