coi mắt
Definition
- Verb:
- To look at someone's face/appearance (for evaluation purposes): This refers to the traditional Vietnamese custom where a potential bride and groom, or their families, meet to see each other's face and appearance for the first time, often as part of the marriage arrangement process. It is a preliminary meeting to assess compatibility and physical impression.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Hai gia đình đã sắp xếp cho đôi trẻ coi mắt vào cuối tuần này. (The two families have arranged for the young couple to meet and see each other this weekend.)
- Ngày xưa, nhiều cặp vợ chồng kết hôn sau khi chỉ coi mắt một lần. (In the past, many couples got married after only meeting once for the initial viewing.)
Advanced Usage
- "Đi coi mắt": to go for a viewing/to go to meet (a potential partner).
- Chị ấy đang chuẩn bị đi coi mắt một chàng trai do bạn giới thiệu. (She is preparing to go meet a guy introduced by a friend.)
Variants and Related Words
- Xem mặt: (Verb) A more common, standard synonym for "coi mắt", meaning to see someone's face, often in the same context of marriage arrangements.
- Họ đã đồng ý cho con gái đi xem mặt chàng trai đó. (They agreed to let their daughter go meet that young man.)
Synonyms
- Gặp mặt: to meet face-to-face (a more general term for meeting someone).
- Tiếp kiến: to have an audience with/to be received (formal, not specific to marriage).
Related Phrases
- Coi mắt kén chồng/kén vợ: to view potential husbands/wives.
- Lễ coi mắt kén dâu là một nét văn hóa truyền thống. (The ceremony of viewing a potential daughter-in-law is a traditional cultural feature.)
Related Idioms
- Coi mắt đặt tiền: Literally "view and place money", implying a deal is made after a satisfactory viewing. It can be used critically to suggest treating marriage like a business transaction.
- Đừng nên coi chuyện hôn nhân như coi mắt đặt tiền. (Don't treat marriage like a business deal based on a single viewing.)