toàn thư
Definition
- Noun:
- A complete book; a comprehensive treatise: Refers to a book or written work that aims to cover all aspects of a particular subject or field comprehensively.
- An encyclopedia; a compendium: Specifically denotes a large reference work containing detailed information on many branches of knowledge or on a specific subject, arranged systematically.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- "Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư" là một bộ sử liệu quý giá. ("Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư" is a valuable historical chronicle.)
- Anh ấy đang biên soạn một bộ toàn thư về động vật học. (He is compiling an encyclopedia of zoology.)
- Cuốn sách này được coi như một toàn thư của ngành y học cổ truyền. (This book is considered a comprehensive treatise on traditional medicine.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in the titles of classical Vietnamese or Sinospheric scholarly works to indicate their authoritative and exhaustive nature.
- "Thiên Nam ngữ lục toàn thư" lưu giữ nhiều truyện thơ dân gian. ("Thiên Nam ngữ lục toàn thư" preserves many folk narrative poems.)
Variants and Related Words
- Bách khoa toàn thư (n): encyclopedia. This is the more common modern compound for "encyclopedia."
- Tôi tra cứu thông tin trong bách khoa toàn thư. (I look up information in the encyclopedia.)
Synonyms
- Encyclopedia: A book or set of books giving information on many subjects or on many aspects of one subject.
- Compendium: A collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject.
- Treatise: A written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject.
Related Idioms
- While not a standalone idiom, the word is a key component in the title of many revered historical texts, implying ultimate authority and completeness on the subject matter.