thạch tín

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃): A white, tasteless, and highly poisonous powder, historically known as "inheritance powder." It is a compound of the element arsenic.
   • Arsenic (general): In common and historical usage, the term often refers broadly to poisonous compounds containing the element arsenic.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Thạch tín là một chất độc cực mạnh. (Arsenic trioxide is an extremely potent poison.)
  • Trong các tiểu thuyết trinh thám cổ điển, thạch tín thường được dùng làm công cụ giết người. (In classic detective novels, arsenic was often used as a murder weapon.)
  • Ông ấy bị đầu độc bằng thạch tín. (He was poisoned with arsenic.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Traditional Context: The term is deeply rooted in historical and literary contexts, particularly in Asia and Europe, referring to a classic, feared poison used in assassinations and suicides.
• Traditional Medicine: In very small, controlled doses, arsenic trioxide () has been used in some traditional medicine systems, but this is highly dangerous and not recommended.

Variants and Related Words

• Asen (n): The modern Vietnamese term for the chemical element "Arsenic" (As).
• Arsenic trioxide (n): The precise chemical name for the compound traditionally called .
• Độc dược (n): Poison, toxic substance (a general term).

Synonyms

• Arsenic trioxide
• White arsenic
• Arsenic (in common historical parlance)

Related Idioms

• Độc như thạch tín: As poisonous as arsenic. Used to describe a very toxic substance or a person with a malicious, venomous character.
  • Lời nói của hắn độc như thạch tín. (His words are as poisonous as arsenic.)