trường kỉ

Một gia đình ngồi trò chuyện trên chiếc trường kỉ trong phòng khách.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A long bench or sofa: A piece of furniture, typically made of wood, designed for seating multiple people. It is often characterized by its elongated form and may feature a backrest and armrests. Historically, it is a traditional item in Vietnamese homes.
   • A canapé (archaic): An older term used in some dictionaries to describe a long upholstered seat or sofa, derived from French.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Phòng khách nhà ông ấy có một bộ trường kỉ bằng gỗ gụ. (His living room has a set of long wooden benches made of mahogany.)
  • Chiếc trường kỉ cũ được đặt ở hiên nhà. (The old long bench is placed on the house's veranda.)
  • Ngày xưa, trường kỉ thường thấy trong các gia đình truyền thống. (In the past, long benches were commonly seen in traditional families.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "trường kỉ" is often associated with traditional Vietnamese interior decor, particularly from the 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries. A complete set typically includes a central bench flanked by two individual chairs, forming a harmonious seating arrangement for receiving guests.

Variants and Related Words

• Tràng kỷ: An alternative spelling and pronunciation for the same furniture item.
  • Bộ tràng kỷ này là đồ cổ. (This set of long benches is an antique.)

Synonyms

• Long bench: A bench that is long enough to seat several people.
• Sofa: A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for several people.
• Settee: A long upholstered seat for more than one person, typically with a back and arms.

Notes on Usage

• "Trường kỉ" is considered a somewhat archaic or traditional term in modern Vietnamese. In contemporary interior design contexts, words like "ghế dài" (long chair), "sô pha" (sofa), or "ghế băng" (bench) are more commonly used for similar furniture.
• It specifically evokes imagery of old northern Vietnamese homes and carries a cultural connotation of formality and tradition.