Definition

1. Verb:
   • To exhume a grave; to disinter: The primary meaning of "bốc mả" is the act of digging up a human corpse or remains from a burial site, typically for the purpose of reburial in a different location. This is a specific ritual practice.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Gia đình quyết định bốc mả người thân để di chuyển về quê. (The family decided to exhume their relative's grave to move it back to their homeland.)
  • Theo phong tục, việc bốc mả phải được tiến hành vào ban đêm. (According to custom, the exhumation must be carried out at night.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "bốc mả" is almost exclusively used in the context of Vietnamese traditional rituals and customs related to ancestor worship and grave relocation. It is a solemn, formal act, not a casual or scientific excavation.

Variants and Related Words

• Bốc mộ (v): This is a direct synonym with identical meaning and usage: to exhume a grave.
  • Sau ba năm, họ tiến hành bốc mộ. (After three years, they proceeded with the exhumation.)

Synonyms

• Exhume: To dig out (something buried, especially a corpse) from the ground.
• Disinter: To take out of the place of interment; exhume.

Notes on Usage

• "Bốc mả" is a culturally specific term. In English, the general terms "exhume" or "disinter" are used in legal, medical, or archaeological contexts. "Bốc mả" carries the specific cultural connotation of a ritual reburial practice common in some Vietnamese traditions.

1. như bốc mộ