xế bóng
Definition
- Noun (Literary/Figurative):
- The declining sun; late afternoon sun: Refers specifically to the sun's position as it lowers in the sky toward the horizon in the late afternoon.
- The declining years; the twilight of life: A poetic metaphor for the later stages of a person's life, particularly old age, implying a gentle, gradual decline akin to the setting sun.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mặt trời đã xế bóng. (The sun has declined.)
- Cha mẹ tôi đã xế bóng. (My parents are in their declining years.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in literary, poetic, or respectful contexts. It carries a tone of nostalgia, melancholy, or gentle observation of the natural cycle of time and life.
- It is often used to show respect and filial piety when referring to the aging of parents or elders.
Variants and Related Words
- Xế chiều (n): A near-synonymous phrase meaning "late afternoon" or, figuratively, "the late stage/decline." It can refer to both the time of day and the stage of life.
- Trời đã xế chiều. (The day is in its late afternoon.)
- Ông bà đã ở tuổi xế chiều. (My grandparents are in the twilight of their years.)
Synonyms
- Late afternoon: For the temporal meaning.
- Twilight years / declining years: For the figurative meaning regarding age.
- Dusk (figurative): Evoking the end of a cycle.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Xế bóng tà: A more explicitly poetic variant emphasizing the slanting, fading light of the late afternoon sun.
- The concept is central to idioms about respecting elders, such as the sentiment behind "kính lão đắc thọ" (respecting the elderly brings longevity), as "xế bóng" describes the state of being elderly.