khẩn vái
Definition
Động từ (Verb): - Khẩn vái: To perform a ritual act of deep respect and silent, earnest prayer, typically involving bowing or kneeling, often directed towards a deity, ancestor, or sacred object. It implies a heartfelt, urgent plea or supplication made in a reverent manner.
Usage Examples
- Động từ:
- Bà cụ thường ra miếu khẩn vái thần linh phù hộ cho gia đình. (The old lady often goes to the temple to kowtow and pray under her breath, asking the spirits to protect her family.)
- Trước bàn thờ tổ tiên, anh ấy thành tâm khẩn vái. (In front of the ancestral altar, he sincerely kowtowed and prayed silently.)
Advanced Usage
- "khẩn vái khấn nguyện": This phrase intensifies the meaning, emphasizing both the physical act of bowing and the mental act of praying or making a vow.
- Người dân trong làng khẩn vái khấn nguyện trước tượng Phật, cầu mong mưa thuận gió hòa. (The villagers kowtowed, prayed, and made vows before the Buddha statue, praying for favorable weather.)
Variants and Related Words
- Khấn (v): To pray, to make an offering or request (often aloud) to a deity or ancestor. This is a core component of "khẩn vái."
- Vái (v): To bow with hands clasped, a gesture of deep respect or worship. This is the physical action in "khẩn vái."
- Lễ bái (v): To worship, to perform rites; a more general term for acts of religious reverence.
Synonyms
- Cầu khẩn: To beseech, to implore (often with a sense of urgency).
- Thành tâm cầu nguyện: To pray sincerely.
Notes on Meaning
The term "khẩn vái" specifically combines two actions: "vái" (the physical bowing or kowtowing) and "khẩn" (the internal, earnest, often silent prayer or plea). It is deeply rooted in Vietnamese spiritual and ancestral worship practices. The act is not merely ritualistic but is understood to come from a place of genuine need and reverence.
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Kowtow and pray under one's breath
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To be in the habit of going to the pagoda to kowtow and pray under one's breath to Buddha on the fifteenth of every month
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