cúng vái
Definition
- Verb:
- To worship with offerings and bowing: The primary meaning of "cúng vái" is to perform a ritual act of veneration, typically towards deities, ancestors, or spirits. It involves presenting offerings (like food, incense, or paper votives) accompanied by the gesture of bowing or pressing palms together ("vái").
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Gia đình tôi cúng vái tổ tiên vào ngày rằm. (My family worships our ancestors on the full moon day.)
- Người dân trong làng đến đình để cúng vái Thành Hoàng. (The villagers go to the communal house to worship the Tutelary God.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "cúng vái" is often used in a broader, sometimes slightly informal or critical sense to describe excessive or superstitious ritual behavior.
- Bà ấy cúng vái suốt ngày, cái gì cũng sợ. (She is always worshiping and bowing all day, afraid of everything.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cúng bái (v): A near-synonym meaning to worship and bow, often used interchangeably with "cúng vái."
- Cúng (v): to make offerings, to worship.
- Vái (v): to bow with palms pressed together in a gesture of respect or prayer.
Synonyms
- To worship: to show reverence and adoration.
- To venerate: to regard with great respect.
- To make ritual offerings: to present items as part of a religious or traditional ceremony.
Related Idioms
- While "cúng vái" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, the actions are central to many cultural practices. A related concept is:
- Cúng kiến: a term encompassing all acts of making offerings and performing worship rituals.
- Việc cúng kiến trong dịp Tết rất quan trọng. (The worship rituals during Tet are very important.)