chung thiên
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lifelong / for the whole of one's life: Describes something that lasts or is remembered for the entirety of a person's existence. It conveys a sense of permanence and enduring commitment.
- Everlasting / never to be forgotten: Emphasizes an unending duration or a memory that will never fade.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Lời hứa chung thiên. (A lifelong promise.)
- Họ có một tình bạn chung thiên. (They have an everlasting friendship.)
- Ân tình ấy tôi ghi nhớ chung thiên. (I will remember that kindness for the rest of my life.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is literary and formal, often used in poetic, solemn, or deeply sentimental contexts, such as in vows, classical literature, or profound statements about love, gratitude, or memory.
Variants and Related Words
- Chung thân (adj): lifelong, for life (often used in legal or formal contexts like "chung thân giam cầm" - life imprisonment).
- Suốt đời (adv): all one's life, for a lifetime (a more common, everyday synonym).
Synonyms
- Lifelong: Lasting for the whole of a person's life.
- Everlasting: Lasting forever or for a very long time.
- Perpetual: Never ending or changing.
Related Idioms
- Chung tình: faithful in love, constant (focuses on loyalty, especially in romantic relationships).
- While not a direct idiom, "chung thiên" itself often functions idiomatically to modify nouns like "lời thề" (vow), "tình" (love), or "nhớ" (remember) to mean "lifelong" or "eternal."