Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Widowed: Describes a person whose spouse has died. This term is typically used for people who are still relatively young.
   • Bereaved of a spouse: Specifically indicates the state of having lost a husband or wife.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy ở góa đã mười năm. (She has been widowed for ten years.)
  • Ông ấy góa vợ từ khi còn trẻ. (He was widowed when he was still young.)
  • Người phụ nữ góa chồng ấy sống rất mạnh mẽ. (That woman, bereaved of her husband, lives very strongly.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ở góa": To live as a widow/widower; to remain unmarried after the death of one's spouse.

  • Sau khi chồng mất, bà quyết định ở góa nuôi con. (After her husband's death, she decided to remain a widow to raise her children.)

• "Góa bụa": (Literary/Emphatic) Widowed; often carries a connotation of loneliness and hardship following the loss.

  • Số phận góa bụa khiến bà trở nên cô độc. (A widowed fate made her become lonely.)

Variants and Related Words

• Goá vợ (n/phr): A widower (a man whose wife has died).

  • Ông là một goá vợ giàu lòng nhân ái. (He is a widower with a benevolent heart.)

• Goá chồng (n/phr): A widow (a woman whose husband has died). Note: While "góa" alone is an adjective, these combinations function as nouns.

  • Cộng đồng hỗ trợ những goá chồng trong làng. (The community supports the widows in the village.)

• Góa phụ (n): Widow. This is a more formal and common noun.

  • Quỹ từ thiện giúp đỡ các góa phụ có hoàn cảnh khó khăn. (The charity fund helps widows in difficult circumstances.)

Synonyms

• Hóa (adj, literary): Widowed. (Less common, more poetic).
• Bà goá (n): Widow (specifically a woman, using a title).

Related Phrases

• Mẹ góa con côi: A widowed mother with orphaned children; signifies a state of complete familial loss and hardship.
  • Câu chuyện về những mẹ góa con côi sau chiến tranh thật cảm động. (The stories of widowed mothers with orphans after the war are truly moving.)

Notes on Usage

• The word "góa" is primarily used as an adjective. When referring specifically to a man or woman, the noun phrases "goá vợ" (widower) or "góa phụ"/"goá chồng" (widow) are used.
• It often implies the person is of an age where remarriage might still be considered a social possibility, distinguishing it from terms for the elderly bereaved.
• The state of being "góa" carries significant cultural weight, often associated with themes of loyalty, sacrifice (e.g., "ở góa"), and hardship.

adjective

1. widowed
   • cô ta còn ở góa
     She remained a widow
   • góa vợ
     widower