Definition

Noun: * Patriotic martyr; war martyr; revolutionary martyr: A person who sacrificed their life for the nation and the people while performing a duty, typically in war or revolutionary struggle. This is a term of profound honor and respect in Vietnamese culture.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Chúng tôi đến thăm nghĩa trang liệt sĩ. (We visited the war martyr cemetery.)
  • Gia đình ông ấy có hai người là liệt sĩ. (His family has two people who are revolutionary martyrs.)
  • Nhân dân luôn ghi nhớ công ơn của các liệt sĩ. (The people always remember the merits of the patriotic martyrs.)

Advanced Usage

• "Anh hùng liệt sĩ": A common and solemn compound term meaning "heroic martyr," used to emphasize both the heroic and sacrificial aspects.
  • Tượng đài anh hùng liệt sĩ được dựng ở trung tâm thành phố. (A monument to the heroic martyrs was erected in the city center.)
• The term is often used in official, commemorative, and solemn contexts related to war remembrance, national holidays (like War Invalids and Martyrs' Day on July 27th), and historical education.

Variants and Related Words

• Liệt sĩ is a Sino-Vietnamese word. The pure Vietnamese equivalent is "người hi sinh" (one who sacrificed). However, "liệt sĩ" carries a more formal, honorable, and specific connotation related to patriotic duty.
• Thương binh (noun): War invalid; disabled veteran. Often mentioned together with liệt sĩ.
• Liệt (verb/adjective): In this context, it comes from the Sino-Vietnamese root meaning "to fall (in battle)," "to perish heroically."

Synonyms

• Người hi sinh (noun): One who sacrificed. (A more general term)
• Chiến sĩ đã hy sinh (noun phrase): Soldier who sacrificed. (More descriptive)

Related Phrases

• Tưởng nhớ liệt sĩ: To commemorate the martyrs.
• Gia đình liệt sĩ: Martyr's family (a term denoting a family that receives state recognition and support).
• Phần mộ liệt sĩ: Martyr's grave.

Related Idioms

• While there is no direct idiom with "liệt sĩ" alone, the concept is central to many Vietnamese sayings about patriotism and sacrifice, such as:
  • "Uống nước nhớ nguồn" (When drinking water, remember the source): An idiom about gratitude, often invoked when remembering the contributions of martyrs and ancestors.

noun

1. partiotic martyr