Definition

1. Verb:
   • To be about to die; to be on the point of death; to be in one's final moments: "Lâm chung" is a formal and respectful verb used to describe the state of being at the very end of life, the moment just before death.

Usage

• Verb: This word is used in formal, solemn, or literary contexts, often related to medicine, religion, or when speaking respectfully about someone's passing. It describes the critical transition phase.
  • Bác sĩ thông báo bệnh nhân đã lâm chung. (The doctor announced the patient was about to die.)
  • Ông ấy vẫn tỉnh táo cho đến giây phút lâm chung. (He remained conscious until the moment he was on the point of death.)

Advanced Usage

• "lúc lâm chung" / "giờ phút lâm chung": Refers specifically to "the moment of dying," "the final hour," or "the deathbed moment." This phrase is commonly used.
  • Những lời trăn trối lúc lâm chung. (The last words at the moment of death.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hấp hối (verb): To be dying; to be in agony. This is also formal but can imply a more prolonged struggle compared to the precise moment of "lâm chung."
• Qua đời (verb) / Từ trần (verb): To pass away; to decease. These verbs mean "to die" and are used after death has occurred, not for the state of approaching it like "lâm chung."
• Cận kề cái chết (phrase): To be close to death. A descriptive phrase with a similar meaning.

Synonyms

• Sắp chết: To be about to die. This is the direct, common-language equivalent of "lâm chung."
• Hấp hối: To be in the throes of death; to be dying.

Related Phrases

• Giường bệnh lâm chung: Deathbed.
  • Các con tụ tập quanh giường bệnh lâm chung của mẹ. (The children gathered around their mother's deathbed.)

Related Idioms

• "Lâm chung bát nước": An idiom referring to the traditional practice of giving a dying person a sip of water, symbolizing care in the final moments. It highlights the cultural significance of the "lâm chung" moment.
  • Phận làm con, phải lo lâm chung bát nước cho cha mẹ. (As children, we must be responsible for our parents' final rites.)

verb

1. to be about to die