giường thờ
Definition
Noun: * Ancestral altar bed: A specific type of altar in traditional Vietnamese homes, often taking the form of a wooden platform or bed-like structure, used for worshipping ancestors. It is a central piece of furniture in the main hall or most respectful room of a house.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trên giường thờ bày biện bát hương, đèn, và hoa quả. (On the ancestral altar bed, incense bowls, lamps, and fruits are arranged.)
- Gia đình tôi vừa thay mới chiếc giường thờ bằng gỗ mít. (My family just replaced the old ancestral altar bed with a new one made of jackfruit wood.)
- Ngày rằm, mọi người thường tập trung trước giường thờ để cúng tổ tiên. (On the full moon day, people often gather in front of the ancestral altar bed to make offerings to ancestors.)
Advanced Usage
- The term giường thờ specifically denotes the physical altar structure. The act of worship or the altar space as a concept is more broadly referred to as (altar) or (place of worship).
- It is distinct from (Buddhist altar) or (Wealth God altar), though they may be placed in the same room.
Variants and Related Words
- Bàn thờ (n): Altar. A more general term for any altar, including ancestral altars. Giường thờ is a type of .
- Tủ thờ (n): Altar cabinet. An ancestral altar built in the form of a tall wooden cabinet with doors.
- Bài vị (n): Ancestral tablet. A wooden plaque inscribed with ancestors' names, placed on the .
Synonyms
- Altar of the ancestors: A direct descriptive translation.
- Ancestral shrine: A term emphasizing the sacred space for ancestor veneration.
Related Phrases
- Hương án (n): Literally "incense table." An antiquated or formal term for an altar, often used in temples or for larger, more elaborate altars. It can be synonymous with in certain contexts but usually implies a more ceremonial table.