Tuất thì

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The Hour of the Dog: In the traditional Vietnamese and Chinese system of dividing the day into 12 two-hour periods, "tuất thì" specifically refers to the period from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
    • A specific point in time: The term is used to denote this precise two-hour block in the traditional calendar, often for scheduling, astrology, or narrating historical/classical events.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Trong truyện Kiều, Sở Khanh hẹn gặp Thúy Kiều vào tuất thì. (In The Tale of Kiều, Sở Khanh arranged to meet Thúy Kiều during the Hour of the Dog.)
    • Theo lịch can chi, tuất thì là khoảng thời gian từ 7 giờ tối đến 9 giờ tối. (According to the celestial stem and terrestrial branch calendar, the Hour of the Dog is the period from 7 PM to 9 PM.)
Advanced Usage
  • Literary and Historical Context: The term is primarily found in classical Vietnamese literature and historical texts. Its most famous usage is in Nguyễn Du's , where it is part of a cryptic message.
  • Cryptic Wordplay: In , the character Thúy Kiều deciphers the phrase "tuất thì tẩu" (to flee at the Hour of the Dog) from a拆字 (chāi zì) style puzzle, where characters are broken down. This reveals a secret plan to escape at that specific time.
Variants and Related Words
  • Giờ Tuất: A more common, synonymous term for the same two-hour period (7:00 PM - 9:00 PM).
  • Canh Tuất: Refers to a specific year in the 60-year cycle of the traditional calendar (e.g., the Year of the Dog in the celestial stem system).
Synonyms
  • The Hour of the Dog: The direct English translation for this specific time period.
  • 7 PM to 9 PM: The modern equivalent time frame.
Related Cultural Concepts
  • Thập Nhị Chi (Twelve Earthly Branches): The system of 12 animal signs used to designate years, months, days, and two-hour periods of the day. "Tuất" corresponds to the Dog.
  • Truyện Kiều (The Tale of Kiều): The epic poem where "tuất thì" is famously used in a plot-critical moment of secret communication and escape planning.