Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ancestor: A person from whom one is descended, typically more remote than a grandparent. In Vietnamese culture, this term specifically refers to collective male ancestors or the patriarchal lineage.
   • Forefather: A respectful term for the male progenitors of a family or clan.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Gia đình tôi thờ cúng ông vải. (My family practices the ancestor cult.)
  • Ông vải của dòng họ chúng tôi rất linh thiêng. (The ancestors of our clan are very sacred.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "ông vải" is deeply rooted in Vietnamese ancestral worship (). It is often used in a collective and reverential sense, referring to the lineage of ancestors as a spiritual entity rather than individual forebears.

Variants and Related Words

• Tổ tiên (n): Ancestors, forebears. This is a more common and general synonym.
• Ông bà tổ tiên (n): A phrase meaning "ancestors and forefathers," often used in ceremonial contexts.

Synonyms

• Ancestors
• Forefathers
• Progenitors

Related Cultural Concepts

• Thờ cúng ông vải (Ancestor worship): The practice of venerating ancestors through rituals, offerings, and maintaining family altars. This is a fundamental aspect of Vietnamese spiritual life.
  • Thờ cúng ông vải là một phong tục quan trọng. (Practicing the ancestor cult is an important tradition.)

1. Ancestor
   • Thờ cúng ông vải.
     To pratise the ancestors' cult