có phước
Definition
- Adjective:
- Blessed, fortunate, lucky: Describes a person who is favored by good luck, happiness, or divine grace, often implying a state of contentment and good fortune.
- To have good fortune/blessings: The literal meaning is "to have blessings/fortune," describing the condition of possessing luck or divine favor.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Người ấy thật có phước khi có một gia đình hòa thuận. (That person is truly blessed to have a harmonious family.)
- Sống khỏe mạnh và an vui là có phước lớn. (To live healthily and peacefully is a great blessing.)
- Nó có phước lắm mới tìm được việc tốt như vậy. (He is very fortunate to have found such a good job.)
Advanced Usage
- "Phước" in "có phước" is etymologically and semantically related to the Sino-Vietnamese word "phúc" (福), meaning happiness, good fortune, or blessing. "Có phước" is often considered a more colloquial or Southern Vietnamese variant of the more standard "có phúc".
- The term often carries a spiritual or karmic connotation, suggesting that the good fortune is a result of merit or virtuous actions, not merely random luck.
Variants and Related Words
- Có phúc (adj): The more standard form with the same meaning: blessed, fortunate.
- Hạnh phúc (n/adj): Happiness; happy. While related, this refers more to the emotional state of happiness itself.
- May mắn (adj): Lucky, fortunate. This is a more secular and common term for general luck, without the spiritual nuance of "có phước."
- Phước lành (n): Blessing(s). A noun meaning a specific blessing or benediction.
Synonyms
- May mắn: Lucky, fortunate.
- Hạnh phúc: Happy (in the sense of being in a state of good fortune).
- Được phù hộ: To be protected/blessed (by a divine force).
Related Phrases
- Hưởng phước: To enjoy blessings/fortune.
- Con cháu hưởng phước của ông bà. (The descendants enjoy the blessings of their grandparents.)
- Tích phước / Tích đức: To accumulate merit/virtue (for good fortune in the future).
- Làm việc thiện là để tích phước. (Doing good deeds is to accumulate merit.)
Related Idioms
- Phước đức tại mẫu: A blessing/virtue lies with the mother. An idiom highlighting the importance and virtue of the mother.
- Ăn ở có phúc: To live virtuously (and thus receive blessings). Implies that good fortune comes from good living.
- Cụ ấy ăn ở có phúc nên con cháu đều thành đạt. (He lived virtuously, so all his children and grandchildren are successful.)