Definition

Noun: - Sister of Mercy, nun: A woman who is a member of a religious order, especially a Catholic one, and dedicates her life to prayer, service, and charitable work, often within a community. The term carries a connotation of kindness and mercy.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cô ấy muốn trở thành một dì phước. (She wants to become a nun / Sister of Mercy.)
  • Các dì phước đang chăm sóc những người bệnh. (The nuns are taking care of the sick people.)
  • Ngôi trường này do các dì phước điều hành. (This school is run by the Sisters of Mercy.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "dì phước" is specifically used in Vietnamese Catholic contexts. It is a respectful and affectionate term, combining "dì" (aunt/maternal aunt, also a respectful term for an older woman) and "phước" (blessing, grace, merit). It literally implies "aunt of blessings/grace."
• It is often used interchangeably with "nữ tu" (female religious), but "dì phước" has a more traditional and specific cultural resonance within the Vietnamese Catholic community.

Variants and Related Words

• Nữ tu (n): Female religious, nun. This is a more general and formal term.
• Bà xơ (n): Sister (religious). This is another common term, often used in everyday speech.
• Tu viện (n): Convent, monastery.
• Dòng tu (n): Religious order.

Synonyms

• Nun: A woman who has taken religious vows.
• Sister: A title for a nun.
• Religious sister: A woman belonging to a religious institute.

Related Phrases

• Đi tu: To enter religious life, to become a monk or nun.
  • Cô ấy đã quyết định đi tu và trở thành dì phước. (She decided to enter religious life and become a nun.)
• Nhà dòng: The convent or religious house.
  • Các dì phước sống trong nhà dòng. (The nuns live in the convent.)

noun

1. sister of Mercy