Đóa Lê

Đóa lê nở trắng tinh khôi trong vườn.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pear blossom: The literal meaning refers to the flower of the pear tree.
   • A metaphor for a palace lady / a beautiful woman: A classical literary metaphor, originating from Bai Juyi's poem "Song of Everlasting Sorrow," comparing the beauty of Consort Yang Yuhuan to a delicate, rain-kissed pear blossom. It evokes an image of pure, elegant, and fragile beauty.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong thơ cổ, "đóa lê" thường tượng trưng cho vẻ đẹp thanh tao, yếu đuối của người phụ nữ. (In classical poetry, "a pear blossom" often symbolizes the pure and delicate beauty of a woman.)
  • "Lê hoa nhất chi xuân đái vũ" – câu thơ này đã biến "đóa lê" thành một ẩn dụ kinh điển. ("A branch of pear blossom bathed in spring rain" – this verse turned "the pear blossom" into a classic metaphor.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "đóa lê" is primarily found in classical Vietnamese poetry and literary works influenced by Chinese literature, particularly when evoking the image of the tragic beauty Yang Yuhuan. Its usage in modern Vietnamese is almost exclusively literary or allusive.

Variants and Related Words

• Hoa lê (n): pear blossom (a more common, modern term for the flower itself without the strong poetic metaphor).
  • Vườn nhà tôi có một cây hoa lê. (My garden has a pear tree.)

Synonyms

• Pear blossom: the flower of the pear tree.
• Palace beauty: a beautiful woman in the imperial court (figurative).
• Delicate beauty: a beauty that is elegant and fragile (figurative).

Related Idioms and Allusions

• "Lê hoa nhất chi xuân đái vũ": The original Chinese line by Bai Juyi, meaning "A single branch of pear blossom bathed in spring rain." This is the direct source of the metaphorical meaning of "đóa lê" in Vietnamese literature.
• The phrase appears in the Vietnamese epic poem "Cung oán ngâm khúc" (Lament of the Palace Maid), cementing its association with the sorrow and secluded beauty of palace women.