kế truyền

Definition

Verb:
- To hand down, to pass on, to transmit from one generation to the next: The primary meaning of "kế truyền" is the act of transferring or bequeathing something (such as knowledge, traditions, skills, or property) from an older generation to a younger one, ensuring its continuity.
- To inherit and continue a legacy: It implies not just receiving something from a predecessor but also the responsibility to maintain and pass it on further.

Usage Examples

Verb:
- Gia đình ông ấy kế truyền nghề làm gốm qua nhiều thế hệ. (His family has handed down the pottery craft through many generations.)
- Những giá trị văn hóa tốt đẹp cần được kế truyền cho con cháu. (Beautiful cultural values need to be passed on to descendants.)
- Bí quyết này được kế truyền từ đời ông cố. (This secret technique was transmitted from my great-grandfather's generation.)

Advanced Usage Notes

"Kế truyền" is a formal and somewhat literary term, used less frequently in everyday conversation. It carries a weight of tradition and solemn duty.
It often appears in contexts discussing cultural heritage, family traditions, crafts, or moral values.
The word combines "kế" (to succeed, to continue) and "truyền" (to transmit, to pass on), emphasizing both the succession and the act of transmission.

Variants and Related Words

Truyền thừa (v): To inherit and pass on; often used in similar contexts, sometimes with a more spiritual or philosophical connotation.
Kế thừa (v): To inherit; focuses more on receiving and continuing something from predecessors.
Lưu truyền (v): To be handed down; emphasizes the process of something being passed through time.
Di sản (n): Heritage, legacy; the thing that is "kế truyền".

Synonyms

Related Phrases and Idioms

Kế truyền hương hỏa: To continue the family line and ancestral worship rites. This idiom specifically refers to the important duty of maintaining the family lineage and rituals.
- Người con trai cả có trách nhiệm kế truyền hương hỏa. (The eldest son has the responsibility to continue the family line and rites.)
Môn phái kế truyền: A school or sect that passes its teachings from master to disciple.
- Võ thuật cổ truyền thường theo hình thức môn phái kế truyền. (Traditional martial arts often follow the model of a school that transmits its teachings.)