Definition

1. Noun:
   • Conjugal harmony, marital harmony: "cầm sắt" is a classical Sino-Vietnamese literary term referring to a harmonious and affectionate relationship between husband and wife. It is an allusion to the beautiful, harmonious sound produced when the cầm (a type of zither) and sắt (a type of harp) are played together in concert.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Đem tình cầm sắt đổi ra cầm kì. (To exchange the affection of marital harmony for the bond of friendship.)
  • Chưa cầm sắt cũng tao khang. (Even without being formally married, they shared a life of hardship together.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in classical poetry and literary texts to evoke a sense of ideal, poetic marital bliss. It is an elevated, metaphorical term and is not used in everyday modern conversation.
• It often appears in contrast with (琴棋), which alludes to the harmonious friendship between individuals who share refined hobbies like playing the zither () and chess ().

Variants and Related Words

• Giai lão: To grow old together (in a happy marriage).
• Bách niên giai lão: A wish for a couple to enjoy a harmonious union until they are one hundred years old.
• Đào nguyên: "Peach Blossom Spring"; sometimes used poetically to refer to an ideal, happy life for a couple.

Synonyms

• Hòa hợp vợ chồng: Marital harmony (modern, literal equivalent).
• Duyên phận vợ chồng: Marital bond/fate.
• Lương duyên: Good marriage, blessed union.

Related Idioms and Classical Allusions

• Cầm sắt hòa minh: Literally "the and sound in harmony"; a direct reference to the origin of the term from the (Kinh Thi), describing a harmonious husband-wife relationship.
• Sắt cầm tương đạc: The harp and zither respond to each other; another poetic way to describe mutual affection and understanding between spouses.

Notes on Usage

• Register: Literary, classical, formal. It belongs to the lexicon of Sino-Vietnamese poetic diction.
• Context: Its use is primarily found in works like (The Tale of Kiều) or , and in poems imitating classical styles. It is used to convey deep cultural and aesthetic ideals about marriage.

1. Conjugal harmony