Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To become a secondary wife (in a polygamous marriage): The primary historical and cultural meaning refers to a woman formally entering a marital union as a second or subsequent wife, with lower status than the primary wife. This practice was part of certain traditional social structures.
   • To take as a pretext / to use as a reason: A less common, figurative meaning where "lẽ" is understood as "reason," thus meaning to seize upon a reason or justification for an action.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase (primary meaning):

  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, một số phụ nữ phải lấy lẽ. (In feudal society, some women had to become secondary wives.)
  • Bà ấy lấy lẽ một viên quan giàu có. (She became the secondary wife of a wealthy mandarin.)

• Verb phrase (figurative meaning):

  • Hắn lấy lẽ đó để trốn việc. (He used that as a reason to avoid work.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is strongly associated with historical context and is largely obsolete in describing modern relationships. Its use today is primarily in historical narratives, literature, or discussions of past customs.
• It specifically denotes a formal, recognized secondary marital status, distinct from informal relationships.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm lẽ (verb phrase): A synonymous phrase meaning to be or become a secondary wife.

  • Cô gái bị ép làm lẽ cho nhà giàu. (The girl was forced to become a secondary wife for a rich family.)

• Vợ lẽ (noun): A secondary wife; a concubine within a formalized polygamous system.

  • Ngôi nhà đó dành cho các bà vợ lẽ. (That house was for the secondary wives.)

Synonyms

• To become a concubine: To enter a recognized but subordinate marital position.
• To be taken as a second wife: To marry into a polygamous union as a non-primary spouse.

Related Idioms

• Chị cả vợ lẽ: Refers to the complex, often hierarchical and conflictual relationship between the primary wife ("chị cả") and the secondary wife ("vợ lẽ"). This dynamic is a common theme in literature.
  • Câu chuyện khắc họa mối quan hệ chị cả vợ lẽ đầy phức tạp. (The story depicts the highly complex relationship between the first and secondary wives.)