Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Beloved and respected: "kính yêu" describes a deep feeling that combines sincere respect (kính) with affectionate love (yêu). It is used for people who are highly esteemed and dearly loved, typically those in superior positions or of great virtue.

Usage

• "Kính yêu" is primarily used as an adjective placed before a noun to modify it. It conveys a formal, profound, and respectful affection.
• It is commonly used to refer to national leaders, revered teachers, or one's own parents and elders.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Chúng em luôn nhớ ơn các thầy cô kính yêu. (We always remember our beloved teachers.)
  • Người dân Việt Nam dành tình cảm kính yêu cho Bác Hồ. (The Vietnamese people hold respectful and affectionate feelings for Uncle Ho.)
  • Con cái phải biết ơn cha mẹ kính yêu. (Children must be grateful to their dear and respected parents.)

Advanced Usage

• Used in formal addresses: Often found in the opening salutations of speeches, letters, or public addresses directed at a respected collective.
  • Kính gửi các quý vị đại biểu kính yêu! (Respectfully sent to our esteemed and beloved delegates!)
• As a predicate adjective: While less common, it can be used after the linking verb "là" (to be).
  • Đối với tôi, ông ấy không chỉ là một người thầy, mà còn là một người cha kính yêu. (To me, he is not only a teacher but also a beloved and respected father.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kính mến (adj): Respectful and fond. Slightly less formal and intense than "kính yêu," often used for teachers or admired seniors.
  • Em viết thư cho thầy giáo cũ với lòng kính mến. (I am writing a letter to my old teacher with respectful fondness.)
• Quý mến (adj): To hold in affectionate esteem. Focuses more on fondness and less on hierarchical respect.
• Tôn kính (adj): To revere, to venerate. Emphasizes deep respect and honor, with less emphasis on personal affection.

Synonyms

• Đáng kính, đáng yêu (phrase): Worthy of respect and love. This is a descriptive phrase rather than a single compound adjective.
• Yêu quý (adj): To love dearly. Contains "yêu" but lacks the explicit component of formal respect ("kính") found in "kính yêu."

Notes on Meaning

• The term "kính yêu" is a compound of two words: "kính" (to respect) and "yêu" (to love). Its meaning is not merely the sum of its parts but signifies a specific, elevated emotional state where respect and love are intertwined.
• It carries a connotation of formality and is not typically used for peers, friends, or romantic partners. Using it for an equal might sound unusual or overly solemn.

adj

1. beloved