cúng cơm

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To offer rice/food (as a ritual): The act of presenting cooked rice or a meal as an offering to a deceased ancestor or spirit, typically on an altar, during specific commemorative periods or anniversaries.
Usage
  • This verb describes a specific ritual practice in Vietnamese ancestor worship. It is performed to show respect, remembrance, and to provide for the deceased in the spiritual realm. The offering usually consists of a bowl of rice and accompanying dishes.
  • It is commonly used in the context of death anniversaries (), during the initial 49 or 100 days after a death, and on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month.
Usage Examples
  • Verb:
    • Gia đình tôi vẫn cúng cơm cho ông nội vào mùng một và ngày rằm hàng tháng. (My family still offers rice to my grandfather on the first and fifteenth days of every lunar month.)
    • Trong vòng 100 ngày sau khi bà mất, con cháu đều cúng cơm đầy đủ. (For 100 days after her passing, the descendants offered meals diligently.)
Advanced Usage
  • "cúng cơm 49 ngày" / "cúng cơm 100 ngày": Refers to the ritual of offering meals throughout the traditional 49-day or 100-day mourning period after a death.
    • Theo phong tục, lễ cúng cơm 100 ngày là rất quan trọng. (According to custom, the 100-day meal offering ceremony is very important.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Cúng (v): To worship, to make ritual offerings. A more general term.
  • Cúng giỗ (v): To make offerings on a death anniversary.
  • Đám giỗ (n): Death anniversary ceremony.
  • Mâm cơm cúng (n): The tray of food prepared for the offering ritual.
Synonyms
  • Dâng cơm: To present/offer rice (similar ritual context, slightly more formal).
  • Thờ cúng tổ tiên: To worship ancestors (a broader concept encompassing this practice).
Related Phrases / Compound Verbs
  • Cúng cơm nước: To offer meals and drinks (a common compound emphasizing the provision of sustenance).
    • Việc cúng cơm nước cho người đã khuất thể hiện lòng hiếu thảo. (Offering food and drink to the departed shows filial piety.)
Related Cultural Notes
  • The practice of is a core element of Vietnamese ancestor veneration (). It reinforces family ties and cultural continuity. The belief is that the spirits of ancestors continue to exist and need sustenance, and they in turn protect and bless the living family members. The food is often placed on the ancestral altar and later consumed by the family, symbolizing a shared meal between the living and the dead.