Definition

Noun: - The God of water, the river god: In Vietnamese mythology, "hà bá" refers to the deity or spirit believed to rule over rivers and water bodies. It is a mythological figure.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong truyền thuyết, hà bá là vị thần cai quản các dòng sông. (In legends, the river god is the deity who governs the rivers.)
  • Người xưa thường cúng tế để làm vui lòng hà bá trước khi ra khơi. (In the past, people often made offerings to appease the God of water before going to sea.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily used in historical, literary, or folkloric contexts. It is not commonly used in modern everyday conversation except when referring to mythology or proverbs.
• It often appears in the proverb: "Đất có thổ công, sông có hà bá." (The land has its local god, the river has its river god.) This means every domain has its own ruler or authority.

Variants and Related Words

• Thuỷ thần (n): This is a more general term for a water deity or spirit, which can include "hà bá".
• Long vương (n): The Dragon King, another powerful deity associated with water in East Asian mythology.

Synonyms

• Thần sông (n): River god. This is a direct descriptive synonym.
• Thuỷ thần (n): Water deity.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Đất có thổ công, sông có hà bá.": As mentioned above, this is the most common idiom featuring the word. It underscores the concept that every place or sphere has its own governing power or rules.

noun

1. the God of water