Definition

Noun: * Cinnabar: A bright red mineral form of mercury sulfide (HgS), historically used as a pigment and in traditional practices. In Vietnamese, this term is primarily used in literary, historical, or specialized contexts (e.g., geology, traditional medicine) to refer to the mineral itself.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Các nhà khảo cổ tìm thấy đồ trang sức cổ được nhuộm màu bằng thần sa. (Archaeologists found ancient jewelry colored with cinnabar.)
  • Trong y học cổ truyền, thần sa đôi khi được sử dụng với liều lượng rất nhỏ. (In traditional medicine, cinnabar is sometimes used in very small doses.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "thần sa" is considered a literary or technical term. In everyday modern Vietnamese, the more common term for the color or general concept is "chu sa", which is often used interchangeably but can sometimes carry a more general or alchemical connotation.
• It can appear in poetic or classical texts to denote the color red or something precious.

Variants and Related Words

• Chu sa (noun): Vermilion; cinnabar. This is a more frequently used synonym in various contexts.
• Hồng ngọc (noun): Ruby (a different red gemstone).
• Thần (noun): Spirit, deity, god (the first character in the compound).
• Sa (noun): Sand, granules (the second character in the compound).

Synonyms

• Chu sa: Vermilion (the most direct synonym).
• Hùng hoàng: Realgar (a different orange-red arsenic sulfide mineral).

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Meaning: The mineral cinnabar (mercury(II) sulfide).
• Figurative/Literary Meaning: Due to its vivid red color, it can be used poetically to describe something of a deep, brilliant red hue or something considered valuable or potent. However, this usage is rare in contemporary language.
• Important Distinction: While "thần sa" refers specifically to the natural mineral, the processed pigment made from it is typically called "son" (vermilion pigment/ink) or "chu sa".

noun

1. Cinnabar