Definition

1. Noun:
   • Native land; native village; old homeland: Refers to the place where one was born and raised, but from which one is now physically or emotionally distant. It carries a strong sense of nostalgia, memory, and often a longing for the past.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy luôn đau đáu nhớ về cố hương. (He is always wistfully remembering his native land.)
  • Sau ba mươi năm, bà trở lại thăm cố hương. (After thirty years, she returned to visit her old homeland.)
  • Tác phẩm đó chứa đầy tình yêu với cố hương. (That literary work is full of love for one's native village.)

Advanced Usage

• This is a literary and somewhat formal term, frequently used in poetry, literature, and reflective writing to evoke deep sentimental attachment and a sense of roots.
• It implies a separation, whether by distance or time, making the memory of the place poignant.

Variants and Related Words

• Quê hương (n): Homeland, hometown. (A more common and general term without the inherent connotation of long separation.)
  • Quê hương tôi rất đẹp. (My hometown is very beautiful.)
• Quê cũ (n): Old hometown. (A simpler, more direct phrase similar to "cố hương".)
• Nguyên quán (n): Place of origin, ancestral land. (A more formal or administrative term.)

Synonyms

• Native land
• Old homeland
• Birthplace (though "birthplace" is more neutral and factual)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Lòng hướng về cố hương: One's heart turns toward the native land. (Describes deep nostalgia.)
  • Dù đi xa, lòng anh vẫn hướng về cố hương. (Even though he went far away, his heart still turns toward his native land.)
• Nỗi nhớ cố hương: Longing for one's native land.
  • Nỗi nhớ cố hương là chủ đề trong thơ ông. (Longing for one's native land is a theme in his poetry.)

noun

1. Native land; native village