Definition

1. Verb:

   • To conjure up a dead person's soul (and invite it to enter a medium to deliver a message): "gọi hồn" refers to the ritualistic act of summoning the spirit or soul of a deceased person, typically to communicate with the living through a medium.
   • To practice necromancy: In a broader, often historical or superstitious context, it can mean to engage in the art of communicating with the dead.

2. Noun (as in the ritual or practice):

   • Necromancy; a soul-calling ritual: "gọi hồn" can also refer to the practice or ceremony itself.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • Người ta tin rằng thầy phù thủy có thể gọi hồn người đã khuất. (People believe the sorcerer can conjure up the soul of the departed.)
  • Trong một số tín ngưỡng dân gian, người ta gọi hồn để hỏi ý kiến tổ tiên. (In some folk beliefs, people practice necromancy to consult their ancestors.)

• Noun:

  • Lễ gọi hồn thường được tiến hành vào ban đêm. (The soul-calling ritual is often performed at night.)
  • Gọi hồn bị coi là một hình thức mê tín dị đoan. (Necromancy is considered a form of superstition.)

Advanced Usage

• "buổi gọi hồn": a séance; a session of conjuring spirits.

  • Buổi gọi hồn kết thúc mà không có hồn nào hiện về. (The séance ended without any spirits appearing.)

• "thầy gọi hồn" / "pháp sư gọi hồn": a necromancer; a spirit conjurer.

  • Thầy gọi hồn tuyên bố đã liên lạc được với thế giới bên kia. (The necromancer claimed to have made contact with the other world.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gọi vong (verb/noun): A near-synonym, also meaning to call/conjure a spirit, often used interchangeably with "gọi hồn".
• Thuật gọi hồn (noun): The art or practice of necromancy.
• Đồng cốt / Cô đồng (noun): A medium; the person who serves as a vessel for the conjured spirit.

Synonyms

• Triệu hồn (verb): To summon a soul/spirit (a more formal or literary term).
• Liên lạc với người chết / cõi âm (verb phrase): To communicate with the dead / the spirit world.

Related Phrases

• Lên đồng (verb): To go into a trance (as a medium); often associated with or following a "gọi hồn" ritual where a spirit enters the medium.
  • Sau khi gọi hồn, bà đồng bắt đầu lên đồng. (After conjuring the spirit, the medium began to go into a trance.)

Related Idioms

• Gọi hồn ai về: This phrase can be used literally for the ritual. Figuratively, it is sometimes used to mean trying to evoke the memory or essence of someone/something from the past.
  • Bài hát này như gọi hồn ký ức tuổi thơ tôi về. (This song is like conjuring the soul of my childhood memories.) (Note: This is a figurative, poetic extension.)

1. Conjure up a deal person's soul (and invite in to give a message to a medium).
2. (Thuật gọi hồn) Necromancy