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bạc
/bàk̚˧˨/
silver
Tôi mua một chiếc nhẫn bằng bạc.
I bought a silver ring.
formal
A precious metal with a white lustrous appearance, used in jewelry, coins, and electronics.
Bạc là kim loại dẫn điện tốt nhất.
Silver is the best electrical conductor.
Symbol: Ag (from Latin 'argentum').
Finance
formal
A coin or currency made of silver.
Ngày xưa, người ta dùng bạc để trao đổi hàng hóa.
In the past, people used silver coins to exchange goods.
Historically used as currency in many cultures.
literary
Lacking loyalty or sincerity; unfaithful.
Anh ta bị coi là bạc tình khi bỏ rơi người yêu.
He was considered unfaithful for abandoning his lover.
Often paired with 'tình' (love) as 'bạc tình'.
informal
Faded or losing color; pale.
Bức tranh này bạc màu theo thời gian.
This painting has faded over time.
Commonly used with 'màu' (color) as 'bạc màu'.
Engineering
technical
A thin layer of metal or other material applied to a surface for decoration or protection.
Vật liệu này được mạ bạc để chống ăn mòn.
This material is silver-plated to resist corrosion.
Collocations
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 'bạc' meanings
When 'bạc' refers to the metal, it often appears in phrases like 'vật bằng bạc' (silver object) or 'mạ bạc' (silver-plated). For metaphorical meanings (unfaithful/faded), it usually combines with other words like 'bạc tình' or 'bạc màu'.
Gold Rule
Context is key
Always check the surrounding words to determine if 'bạc' refers to the metal, currency, or a metaphorical meaning. For example, 'bạc tình' always means unfaithful in love, while 'bạc màu' means faded color.
Word Origin
From Proto-Vietic *paːk, from Proto-Mon-Khmer *paːk (silver). Related to Muong 'pác' and Khmer បាក់ (pak).
Usage Notes
In Vietnamese, 'bạc' can refer to the metal, currency, or metaphorically to unfaithfulness. Context determines the meaning. Avoid confusion with 'bạc' in compounds like 'bạc tình' (unfaithful) or 'bạc màu' (faded).
Word Breakdown
bạc
silver
rootTừ Điển Việt Anh