chín chữ cù lao
Definition
- Noun Phrase:
- The nine labors of parental love: A classical Vietnamese idiom referring to the nine specific hardships and profound efforts a mother endures during pregnancy, childbirth, and raising a child. It symbolizes the immense, often unrepayable, debt of gratitude a child owes to their parents.
- Parental toil and sacrifice: Represents the totality of parental sacrifice and arduous labor in nurturing and educating a child.
Usage Examples
- Noun Phrase:
- Con cái không bao giờ quên chín chữ cù lao của cha mẹ. (Children can never forget the nine labors of parental love.)
- Bài thơ này ca ngợi chín chữ cù lao. (This poem praises the profound toil of parents.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is deeply rooted in Confucian ethics and classical Sino-Vietnamese culture. It is most commonly used in literary, formal, or reflective contexts to evoke a sense of filial piety and moral obligation.
Variants and Related Words
- Công ơn cha mẹ (n): Parental grace/kindness; a more general term for the debt owed to parents.
- Công ơn cha mẹ như trời biển. (Parental kindness is as vast as the sky and sea.)
- Chữ (n): In this context, means "word" but refers to a specific item or aspect of labor listed in the classical set of nine.
Synonyms
- Parental sacrifice: The act of giving up something valuable for one's child.
- Filial debt: The obligation a child has to repay their parents' care.
Related Idioms
- Ơn sinh thành: The grace of giving birth; refers specifically to the debt owed for the gift of life.
- Ơn sinh thành là to lớn. (The grace of giving birth is immense.)
- Cù lao: An archaic term for "hardship" or "toil," which is the core concept within the phrase.