Definition

Noun: - Sister, sister of charity, Catholic nun: A female member of a Catholic religious order, particularly one dedicated to charitable works, often serving in hospitals, orphanages, or other social and charitable institutions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Các bà phước đang chăm sóc bệnh nhân tại bệnh viện. (The sisters are caring for patients at the hospital.)
  • Trại trẻ mồ côi do các bà phước quản lý. (The orphanage is managed by the sisters of charity.)
  • Bà ấy đã trở thành một bà phước từ năm 20 tuổi. (She became a nun at the age of 20.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "bà phước" is specific to Vietnamese Catholic culture and carries a connotation of respect and reverence for the individual's religious devotion and charitable service. It is not a formal ecclesiastical title but a common, honorific term of address and reference.

Variants and Related Words

• Nữ tu (n): Nun, sister (a more general and formal term for a female religious sister).
  • Cô ấy là một nữ tu. (She is a nun.)
• Soeur (n): Sister (a loanword from French, used within Catholic contexts in Vietnam).
  • Soeur Marie dạy học tại trường. (Sister Marie teaches at the school.)
• Dì phước (n): A regional or affectionate variant, also meaning a charitable sister or nun.

Synonyms

• Nun: A woman who is a member of a religious community, typically under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
• Sister: A title for a nun, especially in Christian contexts.
• Religious sister: A formal term for a woman belonging to a religious institute.

Related Phrases

• Vào dòng tu: To enter a religious order.
  • Cô ấy quyết định vào dòng tu để trở thành bà phước. (She decided to enter the religious order to become a nun.)
• Đi tu: To become a monk or nun.
  • Ước mơ của bà là được đi tu từ nhỏ. (Her dream was to become a nun from a young age.)

Related Idioms

Note: There are no common idioms that specifically and exclusively feature the term "bà phước". The term itself is used literally to refer to the religious figure.

noun

1. Sister, sister of charity, catholic nun