kiêng kỵ
Definition
Noun:
- Taboo / prohibition: A social or cultural prohibition against a specific action, behavior, word, or object, often based on tradition, superstition, or religious belief.
- Superstition / superstitious avoidance: A practice of avoiding something believed to bring bad luck, misfortune, or spiritual harm.
Verb:
- To abstain from / to avoid: To refrain from doing, using, saying, or eating something due to cultural, religious, or superstitious reasons.
- To observe a taboo: To follow a rule of prohibition as part of a tradition or belief system.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- Có nhiều kiêng kỵ trong ngày Tết. (There are many taboos during the Lunar New Year.)
- Kiêng kỵ đó đã có từ lâu đời. (That superstition has existed for generations.)
Verb:
- Người bệnh phải kiêng kỵ đồ cay. (The sick person must abstain from spicy food.)
- Họ kiêng kỵ không nói điều đó vào ngày đầu tháng. (They avoid saying that on the first day of the month.)
Advanced Usage
"điều kiêng kỵ": a taboo thing/matter.
- Chỉ tay vào mộ là một điều kiêng kỵ. (Pointing at a grave is a taboo.)
"vùng đất kiêng kỵ": a forbidden/ taboo land.
- Ngọn núi đó được coi là vùng đất kiêng kỵ. (That mountain is considered a forbidden land.)
Variants and Related Words
Kiêng cữ (v/n): Often used interchangeably with "kiêng kỵ," especially regarding health or dietary restrictions.
- Bà ấy đang kiêng cữ sau khi sinh. (She is observing postpartum dietary restrictions.)
Điều cấm kỵ (n): a strict prohibition or a strong taboo.
- Đó là điều cấm kỵ trong tôn giáo của họ. (That is a strict prohibition in their religion.)
Synonyms
- Taboo: A social or cultural ban.
- Prohibition: The act of forbidding something.
- Superstition: Irrational belief leading to avoidance.
- Abstinence: The act of refraining from something.
Related Idioms
Kiêng như kiêng tà: To avoid something as if avoiding an evil spirit (to strictly abstain).
- Ông ấy kiêng rượu như kiêng tà. (He avoids alcohol like the plague.)
Kiêng khem đủ thứ: To abstain from all sorts of things (often regarding a strict diet).
- Vì bệnh gút, ông ấy phải kiêng khem đủ thứ. (Because of gout, he has to abstain from all sorts of things.)