bói toán
Definition
Noun:
- Fortune-telling / Divination: The practice of predicting the future or seeking hidden knowledge through supernatural, mystical, or magical means. It encompasses various methods like reading palms, cards, or interpreting omens.
Verb:
- To tell fortunes / To practice divination: The act of performing a fortune-telling ritual or making a prediction about someone's future.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Bói toán là một hiện tượng văn hóa phổ biến. (Fortune-telling is a common cultural phenomenon.)
- Cô ấy không tin vào bói toán. (She does not believe in divination.)
Verb:
- Bà cụ thường bói toán cho mọi người trong làng. (The old woman often tells fortunes for people in the village.)
- Anh ta đi bói toán về chuyện công việc. (He went to have his fortune told about his career.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a neutral or slightly skeptical connotation in modern usage, distinguishing it from formal religious or spiritual practices.
- It can be used abstractly to criticize unfounded predictions: (That's just fortune-telling, don't believe it!)
Variants and Related Words
- Bói (v/n): A more common, shorter verb meaning to tell a fortune or to guess. It is often used in specific contexts like (cartomancy), (palmistry).
- Thầy bói / Cô bói / Nhà bói toán (n): A fortune-teller, a diviner.
- Xem bói (v): To have one's fortune told.
Synonyms
- Fortune-telling: Predicting future events.
- Divination: The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or unknown by supernatural means.
- Soothsaying: The practice of foretelling events.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Bói ra ma, quét nhà ra rác: A proverb meaning "to look for trouble" or that excessive probing (like fortune-telling) can lead to the discovery of unpleasant things. It warns against seeking knowledge that may cause worry.
- Nói như bói: To speak as if telling a fortune; to make a prediction that comes true unexpectedly.