Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Blessed, fortunate, lucky: Describes a person who is favored by good luck, happiness, or divine grace, often implying a state of contentment and good fortune.
   • To have good fortune/blessings: The literal meaning is "to have blessings/fortune," describing the condition of possessing luck or divine favor.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Người ấy thật có phước khi có một gia đình hòa thuận. (That person is truly blessed to have a harmonious family.)
  • Sống khỏe mạnh và an vui là có phước lớn. (To live healthily and peacefully is a great blessing.)
  • Nó có phước lắm mới tìm được việc tốt như vậy. (He is very fortunate to have found such a good job.)

Advanced Usage

• "Phước" in "có phước" is etymologically and semantically related to the Sino-Vietnamese word "phúc" (福), meaning happiness, good fortune, or blessing. "Có phước" is often considered a more colloquial or Southern Vietnamese variant of the more standard "có phúc".
• The term often carries a spiritual or karmic connotation, suggesting that the good fortune is a result of merit or virtuous actions, not merely random luck.

Variants and Related Words

• Có phúc (adj): The more standard form with the same meaning: blessed, fortunate.
• Hạnh phúc (n/adj): Happiness; happy. While related, this refers more to the emotional state of happiness itself.
• May mắn (adj): Lucky, fortunate. This is a more secular and common term for general luck, without the spiritual nuance of "có phước."
• Phước lành (n): Blessing(s). A noun meaning a specific blessing or benediction.

Synonyms

• May mắn: Lucky, fortunate.
• Hạnh phúc: Happy (in the sense of being in a state of good fortune).
• Được phù hộ: To be protected/blessed (by a divine force).

Related Phrases

• Hưởng phước: To enjoy blessings/fortune.
  • Con cháu hưởng phước của ông bà. (The descendants enjoy the blessings of their grandparents.)
• Tích phước / Tích đức: To accumulate merit/virtue (for good fortune in the future).
  • Làm việc thiện là để tích phước. (Doing good deeds is to accumulate merit.)

Related Idioms

• Phước đức tại mẫu: A blessing/virtue lies with the mother. An idiom highlighting the importance and virtue of the mother.
• Ăn ở có phúc: To live virtuously (and thus receive blessings). Implies that good fortune comes from good living.
  • Cụ ấy ăn ở có phúc nên con cháu đều thành đạt. (He lived virtuously, so all his children and grandchildren are successful.)