cỗ chay

Nhà chùa chuẩn bị một mâm cỗ chay thịnh soạn.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Vegetarian feast: A meal or banquet consisting entirely of vegetarian dishes, often prepared for Buddhist monks, nuns, or followers, especially on religious occasions or full moon days.
   • Vegetarian spread: A selection or presentation of multiple vegetarian dishes served together.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhà chùa chuẩn bị một mâm cỗ chay thịnh soạn. (The pagoda prepared a sumptuous vegetarian feast.)
  • Bà nội tôi rất giỏi nấu các món trong cỗ chay. (My grandmother is very skilled at cooking dishes for a vegetarian spread.)
  • Lễ Vu Lan, nhiều gia đình dâng cỗ chay lên bàn thờ. (On Vu Lan festival, many families offer a vegetarian feast on the altar.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often associated with ceremonial, ritualistic, or festive contexts within Vietnamese Buddhist culture and traditional vegetarian practices, rather than an everyday meal.

Variants and Related Words

• Đồ chay (n): Vegetarian food in general.

  • Quán này chuyên bán đồ chay. (This shop specializes in selling vegetarian food.)

• Mâm cỗ (n): A feast or a tray of many dishes, typically used for "cỗ mặn" (non-vegetarian feast) as a contrasting concept.

Synonyms

• Vegetarian banquet: A large, formal meal of many vegetarian courses.
• Vegetarian repast: A meal of vegetarian food.

Related Cultural Notes

• "Làm cỗ chay": To prepare/cook a vegetarian feast. This implies a significant effort to create multiple complex dishes that mimic the forms and flavors of meat-based dishes using plant-based ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and gluten.