Definition

1. Noun:

   • Period; time; interval: A designated or approximate span of time, often marking the occurrence of a recurring event, weather pattern, or a specific phase.
   • Standard; mark; gauge: A fixed measure, guideline, or reference point used to ensure accuracy or consistency in a task.
   • Postpartum confinement period: In traditional customs, the period following childbirth during which the mother and newborn observe specific dietary and behavioral restrictions.

2. Verb:

   • To abstain; to refrain; to avoid: To deliberately keep from consuming, doing, or using something, often for health, traditional, or ritual reasons.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Sau cữ mưa này, trời sẽ nắng. (After this period of rain, the sun will shine.)
  • Anh thợ đóng đinh phải có cữ cho chính xác. (The carpenter needs a mark for accuracy.)
  • Chị ấy vẫn đang trong cữ. (She is still in the postpartum confinement period.)

• Verb:

  • Bệnh nhân phải cữ mỡ động vật. (The patient must abstain from animal fat.)
  • Em bé mới sinh, mẹ phải cữ nhiều thứ. (With a newborn, the mother has to avoid many things.)

Advanced Usage

• "đúng cữ": on schedule; at the regular/right time.

  • Máy bay cất cánh đúng cữ. (The plane took off on schedule.)

• "trật cữ": off schedule; at the wrong time.

  • Cơn mưa đến trật cữ. (The rain came off schedule.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cữ kiêng (n): The set of abstentions or taboos to be observed.

  • Trong thời gian ở cữ, cữ kiêng rất quan trọng. (During confinement, the taboos to observe are very important.)

• Làm cữ (v): To set a mark or gauge.

  • Trước khi cưa, hãy làm cữ trước. (Before sawing, set a mark first.)

Synonyms

• Noun: Interval, stint, benchmark, confinement.
• Verb: Forgo, shun, eschew.

Related Idioms

• Ăn cữ, ở cữ: Refers to the full traditional practice of observing postpartum rituals, including diet and rest.

  • Ngày xưa, phụ nữ phải ăn cữ, ở cữ đủ ba tháng. (In the past, women had to observe the full postpartum rituals for three months.)

• Có cữ có đỗ: To be methodical and follow proper standards or timing.

  • Làm việc gì cũng phải có cữ có đỗ. (In doing anything, one must be methodical and follow standards.)

verb

1. to abstain from

noun

1. period; time