Definition

1. Noun:

   • Quire: A unit for counting a specific, often small, quantity of unused paper sheets, such as student writing paper or votive paper.
   • Oil lamp dish: A small, shallow dish, typically made of clay or ceramic, designed to hold oil or fat with a wick, used as a lamp in traditional times.

2. Verb:

   • To gild: To apply a very thin layer of gold or silver leaf onto a surface (like wood or stone) using an adhesive, for decorative purposes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Tôi mua một thếp giấy học sinh. (I bought a quire of student paper.)
  • Ngọn đèn dầu cổ cháy nhờ một thếp bằng đất nung. (The ancient oil lamp burns using an earthenware dish.)

• Verb:

  • Người thợ thếp vàng lên những hoa văn trên cột. (The artisan gilds gold onto the patterns on the pillar.)

Advanced Usage

• The noun "thếp" is a classifier, similar to "ream" but for a much smaller, fixed bundle (traditionally around 20 sheets for paper).
• As a verb, "thếp" implies a specific craft technique, distinct from electroplating or painting, involving the manual application of metal leaf.

Variants and Related Words

• Thếp vàng (v): to gild with gold.

  • Bức tượng được thếp vàng để tăng vẻ lộng lẫy. (The statue was gilded with gold to enhance its splendor.)

• Thếp bạc (v): to silver, to apply a thin layer of silver.

  • Họ thếp bạc lên các chi tiết trang trí. (They silvered the decorative details.)

Synonyms

• Noun: Bundle, packet (for paper); dish, saucer (for lamp part).
• Verb: To overlay with gold/silver, to apply leaf.

Related Idioms

• Sơn son thếp vàng: Literally "to lacquer in red and gild in gold," meaning to decorate lavishly or to embellish something to make it appear splendid and valuable.
  • Cổng đình được sơn son thếp vàng. (The communal house gate is lavishly decorated with red lacquer and gold leaf.)

noun

1. quire

verb

1. to gild