thỏ bạc, ác vàng
Definition
- Noun Phrase (Idiom):
- The Jade Rabbit and the Golden Crow: A classical literary and mythological idiom referring to the moon and the sun, respectively. It originates from ancient East Asian folklore which imagined a rabbit (often depicted pounding an elixir) residing on the moon and a three-legged golden crow (or raven) residing within the sun.
Usage Examples
- Noun Phrase:
- Thời gian trôi qua, thỏ bạc, ác vàng vẫn luân chuyển. (Time passes, the Jade Rabbit and Golden Crow still revolve.)
- Thơ cổ thường mượn hình ảnh thỏ bạc, ác vàng để chỉ ngày và đêm. (Ancient poetry often used the imagery of the Jade Rabbit and Golden Crow to refer to day and night.)
Advanced Usage
- This phrase is primarily used in poetic, literary, or highly formal contexts to evoke classical imagery of time, celestial bodies, and cosmic cycles. It is not used in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Thỏ ngọc (n): Jade Rabbit; a more common term for the mythical rabbit on the moon.
- Ác vàng / Kim ô (n): Golden Crow; a term for the mythical three-legged bird symbolizing the sun.
Synonyms
- Mặt trăng và mặt trời: The moon and the sun (direct, modern terms).
- Nguyệt thố và nhật ô: Lunar hare and solar crow (alternative classical terms).
Related Idioms and Cultural References
- Bóng thỏ bạc, hình ác vàng: The shadow of the Jade Rabbit, the form of the Golden Crow. A poetic way to describe the fleeting passage of time.
- The idiom is deeply connected to Vietnamese and Sinospheric literary tradition, often appearing in classical poetry (thơ Đường luật, thơ cổ điển) to symbolize the inexorable passage of days and nights.