thếp vàng
Definition
- Verb:
- To gild: The primary meaning of "thếp vàng" is to apply a thin layer of gold, typically gold leaf or gold powder, onto the surface of an object for decoration, preservation, or to give it the appearance of being solid gold.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Các nghệ nhân đang thếp vàng lên bức tượng Phật. (The artisans are gilding the Buddha statue.)
- Cửa đền được thếp vàng rất cầu kỳ. (The temple door is elaborately gilded.)
- Họ muốn thếp vàng cho khung ảnh cũ. (They want to gild the old picture frame.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is specifically used in the context of traditional crafts, art, and religious artifact restoration, implying a skilled, manual process.
Variants and Related Words
- Mạ vàng (v): to gold-plate (often implies a different, sometimes more industrial, process like electroplating).
- Chiếc vòng cổ được mạ vàng để không bị xỉn màu. (The necklace was gold-plated to prevent tarnishing.)
Synonyms
- Gild: to cover with a thin layer of gold.
- Gold-leaf: to apply gold leaf.
Related Idioms
- While "thếp vàng" itself is not commonly used in idioms, the concept appears in phrases describing luxury or false appearance, such as "vàng thau lẫn lộn" (to mix gold with brass - meaning to mix the genuine with the fake).