li biệt
Definition
- Verb (Literary):
- To part forever; to be separated eternally: Describes a permanent, often tragic, separation between people, typically with little or no hope of reunion. It conveys a profound and final farewell.
- To be severed; to be cut off: Implies a complete and lasting break in a connection or relationship.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Họ phải li biệt trong chiến tranh. (They had to part forever during the war.)
- Cảm giác li biệt thật đau lòng. (The feeling of eternal separation is truly heartbreaking.)
- Đó là một cuộc li biệt không lời từ giã. (It was an eternal parting without a word of goodbye.)
Advanced Usage
- This word is primarily used in literary, poetic, or formal contexts to heighten the emotional weight of a separation. It is less common in everyday spoken Vietnamese.
- Often used to describe separations caused by death, war, or insurmountable circumstances.
Variants and Related Words
- Biệt li (Verb): A more common variant with the same meaning: to be separated forever.
- Tiễn đưa người đi biệt li. (To see someone off on a journey of eternal separation.)
Synonyms
- To part forever: To separate for all time.
- To be eternally separated: To be divided with no hope of reunion.
- Final farewell: A last, permanent goodbye.
Related Idioms
- Sinh li tử biệt: (Literally: Living separation, deathly parting). An idiom describing the most painful of partings, often a permanent separation in life or a parting due to death.
- Chiến tranh gây ra cảnh sinh li tử biệt. (War creates scenes of agonizing, permanent separation.)