Definitions

1. Noun:
   • Father and mother; parents: "ba má" is a common and affectionate term used to refer to one's parents, particularly in Southern Vietnamese dialects. It directly means "dad and mom."

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ba má tôi rất thương tôi. (My parents love me very much.)
  • Cuối tuần này tôi sẽ về thăm ba má. (I will visit my parents this weekend.)
  • Nhà của ba má tôi ở nông thôn. (My parents' house is in the countryside.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ba má ơi": A common and affectionate exclamation to call one's parents.

  • Ba má ơi, con đã về! (Mom, Dad, I'm home!)

• "Công ơn ba má": Refers to the gratitude and debt one owes to their parents for raising them.

  • Con không bao giờ quên công ơn ba má. (I will never forget what I owe my parents.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cha mẹ (noun): The standard, more formal term for parents, used nationwide.
• Bố mẹ (noun): A common term for parents, used more in Northern Vietnam.
• Tía má (noun): Another Southern Vietnamese dialect term for parents, synonymous with "ba má."

Synonyms

• Parents: The direct English translation.
• Father and mother: The literal translation of the individual components.

Related Phrases

• Phụng dưỡng ba má: To care for and support one's parents.
  • Nhiệm vụ của con cái là phải phụng dưỡng ba má. (The duty of children is to care for their parents.)

Related Idioms

• "Có ba có má": To have parents (implying the blessing and support of having a family).
  • Nó may mắn vì có ba có má đầy đủ. (He is lucky to have both a father and a mother.)
• "Mồ côi cha mẹ" / "Mất ba má": To be orphaned; to lose one's parents.
  • Đứa trẻ đó thật tội nghiệp vì mất ba má từ nhỏ. (That child is pitiful because he lost his parents when he was young.)