cội rễ
Definition
- Noun:
- Roots, origin, source: Refers to the fundamental basis, origin, or deep-seated cause of something, often abstract like a tradition, problem, or family lineage. It emphasizes the foundational and essential nature.
- Ancestral roots, heritage: Specifically denotes the place of origin, homeland, or ancestral lineage of a person or family.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Anh ấy luôn tìm về cội rễ của gia đình mình. (He always seeks to return to his family's roots.)
- Chúng ta cần hiểu cội rễ của vấn đề để giải quyết triệt để. (We need to understand the root of the problem to solve it thoroughly.)
- Tình yêu quê hương bắt nguồn từ cội rễ văn hóa. (Love for one's homeland stems from cultural roots.)
Advanced Usage
"gốc rễ cội nguồn": A common four-word idiom reinforcing the meaning of fundamental origin or source.
- Phong tục này có gốc rễ cội nguồn từ hàng trăm năm trước. (This custom has its roots from hundreds of years ago.)
"tìm về cội rễ": To trace back to one's roots, to search for one's origins.
- Nhiều người Việt ở nước ngoài mong muốn tìm về cội rễ. (Many overseas Vietnamese wish to trace back to their roots.)
Variants and Related Words
Gốc rễ (Noun): A near-synonymous compound meaning "roots and origins." It is often used interchangeably with "cội rễ."
- Gốc rễ của cây (The roots of the tree) - More literal for plant roots.
- Gốc rễ của tranh chấp (The root of the dispute) - More common in abstract contexts.
Nguồn gốc (Noun): Origin, source, provenance. Focuses more on the point of beginning.
- Nguồn gốc của sản phẩm (The origin of the product).
Cội nguồn (Noun): Origin, fountainhead, wellspring. Often used for the origin of a lineage, culture, or river.
- Cội nguồn dân tộc (The origin of the nation).
Synonyms
- Nguồn cội (Noun): Origin, source (literary).
- Khởi nguyên (Noun): The very beginning, genesis (formal, literary).
- Căn nguyên (Noun): Primary cause, root cause (often for problems).
Related Phrases (Collocations)
Bám chặt cội rễ: To cling firmly to one's roots.
- Dù đi xa, anh ấy vẫn bám chặt cội rễ Việt Nam. (Even though he's far away, he still clings firmly to his Vietnamese roots.)
Cội rễ văn hóa: Cultural roots.
- Giữ gìn cội rễ văn hóa là điều rất quan trọng. (Preserving cultural roots is very important.)
Related Idioms
- "Uống nước nhớ nguồn": (When drinking water, remember its source.) An idiom about gratitude and remembering one's origins. While it uses "nguồn" (source), it shares the conceptual meaning of "cội rễ."
- Chúng ta phải luôn nhớ ơn tổ tiên, uống nước nhớ nguồn. (We must always be grateful to our ancestors, remembering the source when drinking water.)