Definition

1. Verb:
   • To bring bad luck on, to put a jinx on: The act of causing misfortune or an unlucky event to happen to someone, often unintentionally, through one's words, actions, or mere presence, according to superstitious belief.
   • To offend a vital spirit/support: Based on folk belief, this refers to inadvertently harming or disturbing the "vía" (a kind of vital spirit or life force) of a person, especially a vulnerable one like a newborn or sick person, leading to negative consequences for them.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Mọi người nói đừng khen em bé quá, sợ chạm vía. (People say not to praise the baby too much, for fear of jinxing it.)
  • Cô ấy tin rằng việc mình đến thăm đã chạm vía khiến bệnh nhân trở nặng. (She believes her visit brought bad luck and caused the patient's condition to worsen.)
  • Theo mê tín, người lạ có thể chạm vía trẻ sơ sinh. (According to superstition, strangers can put a jinx on newborns.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is almost exclusively used in contexts related to Vietnamese folk belief and superstition. It describes an abstract, metaphysical cause of misfortune.
• It often implies the misfortune is unintentional. The person who "chạm vía" may not be aware they are doing so.
• Commonly associated with vulnerable individuals: The belief frequently applies to newborns, young children, sick people, or those in a weak state, whose "vía" is considered more susceptible.

Variants and Related Words

• Vía (n): The superstitious concept of a vital spirit or life force that this action affects. There is no direct single-word English equivalent.
• Xui (adj/xui xẻo - n): Bad luck, misfortune. This is the general result of "chạm vía."
• Kiêng kỵ (v/n): To abstain or taboos. People "kiêng kỵ" certain actions to avoid "chạm vía."

Synonyms

• Đem lại vận xui: To bring bad luck.
• Gây hạn: To cause a calamity (in a superstitious sense).
• Làm vía: A less common variant with the same meaning.

Related Phrases / Idioms

• Chạm vía, chạm mạng: An intensified phrase emphasizing the serious superstitious consequence of affecting someone's life force or destiny.
  • Người già thường cảnh báo đừng chạm vía, chạm mạng trẻ con. (Elders often warn not to jinx or harm the life force of children.)
• Kiêng không đến thăm sản phụ: A common practice (to avoid visiting a new mother) rooted in the fear of "chạm vía" the mother and baby.

1. To bring bad luck on, to put a jinx on