Definition

1. Noun:
   • Dregs; lees; residue: The solid remains left after the distillation or fermentation process in alcohol production, such as in making rice wine.
   • Taboo name; ritual name: A sacred, alternative name for a deity, village guardian spirit, or revered ancestor, used in ritual contexts to avoid speaking the real name.
   • Ritual performance: A ceremonial play or performance reenacting the story of a worshipped deity, performed as part of a village festival.
   • Specific ritual offering: A special offering made specifically to a particular deity during a ceremony.

Usage Examples

• Noun (dregs):
  • Người ta dùng hèm để nuôi lợn. (People use the distiller's grains to feed pigs.)
• Noun (taboo/ritual name):
  • Trong lễ hội, không ai được gọi tên thật mà phải gọi bằng tên hèm. (During the festival, no one is allowed to call the real name but must use the ritual name.)
• Noun (ritual performance):
  • Hèm là phần nghi lễ quan trọng trước khi vào hội. (The ritual performance is an important ceremony before the main festival begins.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept of a "tên hèm" (taboo name) is deeply rooted in Vietnamese folk religion and village customs, reflecting respect and fear of directly invoking spiritual powers.
• In traditional villages, knowing the "hèm" of the local deity was often restricted to elders or ritual specialists.

Variants and Related Words

• Bã rượu: A more common, non-taboo term for distiller's grains or dregs.
• Tên kiêng kị: Synonym for "taboo name."
• Lễ hèm: Refers to the specific ritual or offering associated with the "hèm."

Synonyms

• Residue: For the dregs meaning.
• Taboo name: For the ritual name meaning.
• Ritual: For the performance or offering meaning.

Related Cultural Concepts

• Thần thành hoàng: The village guardian spirit, who often has a "tên hèm".
• Kiêng kị: The practice of taboo or avoidance, which governs the use of the ritual name.
• Lễ nghi: Rituals and ceremonies where the "hèm" is central.

noun

1. draff