đầu giường
Definition
- Noun:
- Bedside / Head of the bed: The area or space immediately adjacent to the head of a bed. This is the most common and literal meaning, referring to the physical location.
- Bedside table / nightstand: By common metonymy, it can refer to the small table or piece of furniture placed next to the head of a bed.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cô ấy để một cốc nước ở đầu giường. (She placed a glass of water at the bedside.)
- Anh ấy đang ngồi trên đầu giường đọc sách. (He is sitting at the head of the bed reading a book.)
- Chiếc đồng hồ báo thức để trên đầu giường. (The alarm clock is on the nightstand.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in fixed phrases describing common bedside activities or items.
- truyện đầu giường: bedside story (e.g., a book kept for reading at bedtime).
- đèn đầu giường: bedside lamp.
Variants and Related Words
- Tủ đầu giường (n): Bedside cabinet. This is a more specific term for the furniture piece.
- Tủ đầu giường này có ngăn kéo. (This bedside cabinet has a drawer.)
Synonyms
- Bedside: The area next to a bed.
- Headboard: The upright panel at the head of a bed (this is a specific part of the bed frame, not the general area).
- Nightstand / Night table: A small table beside a bed.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Chuyện đầu giường: Literally "bedside talk"; implies private, intimate conversation, often between partners.
- Họ có những cuộc trò chuyện đầu giường rất thân mật. (They have very intimate bedside conversations.)