khói hương
Definition
- Noun:
- Incense smoke: The visible, aromatic smoke produced by burning incense, especially in a ritual or religious context.
- Ritual atmosphere / Veneration: By extension, it can evoke the solemn atmosphere of worship or the act of paying respects to ancestors or deities.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Khói hương tỏa ra thơm ngát. (The incense smoke wafted out, very fragrant.)
- Căn phòng đầy khói hương trong buổi lễ. (The room was full of incense smoke during the ceremony.)
- Không khí trang nghiêm với khói hương. (The solemn atmosphere with incense smoke.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "khói hương" is deeply cultural and is almost exclusively used in contexts related to Vietnamese spiritual life, ancestor veneration, and temple rituals. It carries a connotation of reverence, memory, and connection to the spiritual world.
Variants and Related Words
- Hương khói (n): A variant form with the same meaning, often used in poetic or fixed expressions.
- Phụng dưỡng hương khói. (To maintain the incense and smoke [for ancestors].)
- Nhang khói (n): A more colloquial term combining "nhang" (incense stick) and "khói" (smoke), meaning essentially the same thing.
- Khói (n): Smoke (general).
- Hương (n): Incense; also can mean fragrance.
Synonyms
- Incense smoke: The direct descriptive synonym.
- Fumes of incense: A more formal equivalent.
Related Idioms and Expressions
- Hương khói lạnh lẽo: Describes an altar where the incense and smoke have grown cold, implying neglect of ancestral worship or a deserted, lonely place.
- Ngôi nhà cũ giờ hương khói lạnh lẽo. (The old house now has a cold, neglected altar.)
- Phụng hương khói: To worship and maintain the incense smoke; to perform ancestor worship dutifully.
- Con cháu có trách nhiệm phụng hương khói. (Descendants have the responsibility to maintain the ancestral worship.)