Definition

1. Noun:
   • A briquette shaped like a banyan fruit: A piece of fuel, specifically a type of charcoal briquette, molded into a spherical or ovoid shape resembling the fruit of the banyan tree (quả bàng). It is a traditional form of household fuel.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bà ngoại thường dùng than quả bàng để nấu bếp lò. (My grandmother often used banyan-fruit briquettes to cook on the clay stove.)
  • Mùi khói từ than quả bàng gợi nhớ ký ức tuổi thơ. (The smell of smoke from banyan-fruit briquettes evokes childhood memories.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is specific to a historical or traditional context, as this form of fuel has largely been replaced by modern alternatives like gas or electric stoves. It evokes imagery of a past era, rural life, or specific cultural practices.

Variants and Related Words

• Than tổ ong (n): Honeycomb charcoal briquette. A more common, cylindrical type of charcoal briquette with holes, resembling a honeycomb.
  • Quán ăn vỉa hè thường dùng bếp than tổ ong. (Street food stalls often use stoves with honeycomb briquettes.)

Synonyms

• Charcoal briquette: A block of compressed charcoal used for fuel.
• Fuel briquette: A general term for a block of compressed combustible material.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms directly using the phrase "than quả bàng." Its usage is literal, describing the specific object.