bể dâu

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Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Vicissitudes of life, the whirligig of time: A classical Sino-Vietnamese idiom (成語 thành ngữ) describing the profound, often unpredictable, and cyclical changes in life and the world, where nothing remains constant. It originates from the ancient Chinese concept of the sea (bể) turning into a mulberry field (dâu) and vice versa over vast stretches of time, symbolizing great upheaval and transformation.
Usage
  • Common Structure: The term is almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase "cuộc bể dâu" (the whirligig of life/time).
  • Context: It is a literary, poetic, and somewhat formal term used to reflect philosophically on life's changes, historical shifts, or personal fortunes. It often carries a tone of melancholy, resignation, or profound reflection.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Trải qua một cuộc bể dâu, những điều trông thấy mà đau đớn lòng. (Having gone through the whirligig of time, the things I have seen wrench my heart.)
    • Cuộc đời đầy những biến cố, thật là một cuộc bể dâu. (Life is full of upheavals; it is truly a series of vicissitudes.)
    • Câu chuyện kể về cuộc bể dâu của một dòng họ qua nhiều thế hệ. (The story tells of the vicissitudes of a family clan over many generations.)
Advanced Usage
  • "bãi bể nương dâu": This is the original, full form of the idiom, with the same meaning. "Nương dâu" means a field of mulberry trees.
    • Thời thế thay đổi, bãi bể hóa nương dâu. (The times change; the sea turns into mulberry fields.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Biến cố (n): Event, upheaval (a more common, less poetic word for a major change or incident).
  • Thăng trầm (n): Ups and downs, vicissitudes (a common synonym for the fluctuations of life or career).
  • Đổi thay (n/v): Change(s) (a general term for change).
Synonyms
  • Vicissitudes: (formal) A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.
  • The whirligig of time: (literary) The rapid changes and cycles brought about by the passage of time.
  • Ups and downs: The mixed experiences of good and bad periods in life.
Related Idioms
  • "Sông cạn đá mòn" (Rivers run dry, stones wear smooth): Emphasizes the slow, inevitable change and erosion over time.
  • "Vật đổi sao dời" (Things change, stars shift): Describes great, cosmic changes.
  1. Beach turned into a mulberry field, vicissitudes, whirligig
    • Trải qua một cuộc bể dâu Những điều trông thấy mà đau đớn lòng
      Through the whirligig of time, There are events which wrench one's heart

Proverbs and Idioms