Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ancestors in general: A collective term referring to all of one's forebears and predecessors in a family lineage, often used in a respectful and broad sense.
   • Forefathers and foremothers: Encompasses the entirety of one's ancestral line, without specific reference to immediate parents or grandparents.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ngày Tết, chúng tôi thờ cúng ông bà ông vải. (On Tet holiday, we worship our ancestors.)
  • Truyền thống này đã có từ thời ông bà ông vải. (This tradition has existed since the time of our forefathers.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in ceremonial, spiritual, or traditional contexts to invoke a deep sense of heritage and collective family memory.

Variants and Related Words

• Tổ tiên (n): ancestors, forefathers. A more standard and commonly used synonym.
• Ông bà (n): grandparents; ancestors. A shorter, more familiar form that can sometimes imply a narrower generational scope.

Synonyms

• Ancestors: A person from whom one is descended.
• Forebears: Members of one's family who lived in the past.
• Progenitors: Direct ancestors.

Related Idioms

• While "ông bà ông vải" is itself a fixed phrase, it is used in contexts similar to idioms that honor ancestry, such as remembering the source of one's blessings.