Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Ancient, olden, of old: Refers to a time that is very far in the past, belonging to a distant era.
   • Former, past: Describes something that existed or happened in a previous time, not the present.

2. Noun:

   • The past, olden times, antiquity: Used to denote the period of time long ago.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Phong tục xưa (Ancient customs)
  • Chuyện ngày xưa (A story from the old days)
• Noun:
  • Từ thuở xưa (Since ancient times)
  • Người xưa có câu... (The ancients had a saying...)

Advanced Usage

• "ngày xưa": long ago, once upon a time (often used to begin stories).
  • Ngày xưa, có một vị vua... (Once upon a time, there was a king...)
• "thời xưa" / "thuở xưa": in the old days, in antiquity.
  • Thời xưa, con người sống hòa hợp với thiên nhiên. (In ancient times, humans lived in harmony with nature.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xưa kia (adv/phr): in the past, formerly.
  • Xưa kia nơi đây là một cánh rừng. (Formerly, this place was a forest.)
• Cổ xưa (adj): ancient, archaic (emphasizing great age and tradition).
  • Một nền văn minh cổ xưa (An ancient civilization)

Synonyms

• Ancient: belonging to the very distant past.
• Olden: of or relating to a past era.
• Bygone: past, former.

Related Idioms

• Chuyện người xưa tích cũ: Stories of old people and old events; refers to very old tales or traditions.
  • Ông cụ thích kể chuyện người xưa tích cũ. (The old man likes to tell tales of yore.)
• Xưa như Trái Đất: As old as the hills; used to describe something very old or outdated.
  • Chiếc máy đó xưa như Trái Đất rồi. (That machine is as old as the hills.)

noun

1. ancient, old