khem

Thân thiện

Người mẹ trẻ đang khem theo lời khuyên của bà ngoại.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To follow a post-nartum diet; to observe post-natal dietary taboos: The primary meaning of "khem" is to adhere to a strict diet and avoid specific foods believed to be harmful or unsuitable for a woman who has just given birth. This practice is part of traditional Vietnamese post-natal care (ở cữ).

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Sau khi sinh, chị ấy phải khem rất nghiêm ngặt theo lời mẹ chồng dặn. (After giving birth, she had to follow a strict post-natal diet as instructed by her mother-in-law.)
  • Ngày xưa, phụ nữ ăn khem cả tháng trời. (In the past, women observed the post-natal diet for a whole month.)

Advanced Usage

• "khem cữ": This is a common compound phrase meaning to observe the full set of post-natal practices, including the diet and other behavioral restrictions.
  • Cô ấy đang khem cữ nên không ra ngoài được. (She is observing post-natal confinement so she cannot go out.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ăn khem: This is the most common verbal phrase, meaning "to be on a post-natal diet". It is often used interchangeably with the verb "khem" alone.
  • Mẹ tôi dặn phải ăn khem đủ 100 ngày. (My mother instructed me to follow the post-natal diet for a full 100 days.)

Synonyms

• Kiêng khem (v): To abstain or refrain, often used in a broader context of dietary restrictions but can specifically refer to post-natal abstinence.
  • Sinh xong, việc kiêng khem là rất quan trọng. (After childbirth, dietary abstinence is very important.)

Notes on Different Meanings

• The word "khem" is almost exclusively used in the context of post-natal dietary customs. It does not generally mean dieting for weight loss or other health reasons. For general "dieting" or "abstaining," the word "kiêng" is used.

Học thuật

1. Keep a post-natal diet (with abstinence from some kinds of food believed to be unsuitable to women just out of childbirth)
   • ăn khem
     To be on a post-natal diet