Mạch tương
Definition
- Noun:
- Flow of tears / Stream of tears: A literary and poetic term referring to the act of crying or the tears themselves, often implying a continuous, sorrowful flow. It originates from a classical Chinese legend about grief and loyalty.
- Tears (in a classical context): Used in formal or literary Vietnamese to denote tears, carrying connotations of profound sadness, often from separation or loss.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Nàng khóc, mạch tương tuôn rơi. (She wept, a stream of tears falling.)
- Câu chuyện cảm động khiến mạch tương dâng trào. (The touching story caused a welling up of tears.)
- Chưa xong điều nghĩ đã dào mạch tương. (Before finishing her thought, tears already poured forth.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively found in classical poetry, literary works, or formal writing. It evokes imagery from the legend of the two princesses whose tears stained bamboo, making it more specific than the common word for tears ("nước mắt").
- It can be used metaphorically to describe something that evokes deep pity or sorrow.
- Cảnh tượng ấy như một mạch tương chảy mãi trong lòng. (That scene is like an endless stream of tears flowing in the heart.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nước mắt (n): The common, everyday word for "tears."
- Lệ (n): A Sino-Vietnamese literary word for "tears," often used in poetry and compounds (e.g., - to cry tears).
- Giọt lệ (n): A teardrop.
Synonyms
- Tears: The clear, salty liquid secreted by glands in the eyes.
- Weeping: The act of shedding tears.
- Lamentation: The passionate expression of grief or sorrow, often involving tears.
Related Idioms and Cultural References
- Tương phi trúc / Trúc tương phi: Literally "mottled bamboo of the Xiang River." This is the direct reference to the legend from which "mạch tương" originates. It refers to bamboo stained with the tear spots of the mourning princesses, symbolizing eternal grief and loyalty.
- The legend states that the tears of the consorts娥皇 (Nga Hoàng) and女英 (Nữ Anh) for their husband, Emperor舜 (Thuấn), fell upon the bamboo along the湘河 (Tương River), staining it with spots. Thus, "mạch tương" is intrinsically linked to this story of devoted sorrow.