bói kiều
Definition
- Noun:
- Divination using "The Tale of Kiều": A traditional Vietnamese form of divination or fortune-telling that involves randomly selecting verses from the epic poem "Truyện Kiều" (The Tale of Kiều) by Nguyễn Du and interpreting them as answers to questions or predictions about the future.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cô ấy tin tưởng vào kết quả bói Kiều. (She believes in the results of the Kiều divination.)
- Bói Kiều là một hình thức bói toán dựa trên thơ ca. (Kiều divination is a form of fortune-telling based on poetry.)
- Họ mở sách ngẫu nhiên để bói Kiều. (They open the book randomly to perform Kiều divination.)
Advanced Usage
- Cultural and Literary Context: "Bói Kiều" is not merely a superstitious practice but is deeply intertwined with Vietnamese cultural identity and reverence for the national literary masterpiece, "Truyện Kiều." The interpretation often requires knowledge of the poem's context and themes.
- Ritualistic Aspect: The practice often involves a moment of concentration or a silent question before randomly pointing to a verse in the book. The selected verse is then contemplated for personal relevance.
Variants and Related Words
- Bói toán (n): Fortune-telling, divination (general term).
- Xin thơ (v): To ask for a verse (a similar practice sometimes used interchangeably with "bói Kiều").
- Truyện Kiều (n): The Tale of Kiều (the epic poem itself, the source text for the divination).
Synonyms
- Divination: The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.
- Fortune-telling: The practice of predicting information about a person's life.
Related Phrases
- Mở sách Kiều: To open the Kiều book (referring to the act of starting the divination process).
- Cầu Kiều: To seek guidance from Kiều (a phrase expressing the intent to consult the poem for insight).
Related Idioms
- "Kiều bói cũng không ra": Even Kiều divination wouldn't reveal it. This idiom is used to describe something extremely unpredictable, mysterious, or a situation with no clear answer.
- Tương lai của dự án này, Kiều bói cũng không ra. (The future of this project is impossible to predict; even Kiều divination wouldn't reveal it.)