lỡ duyên
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having missed one's chance at love or marriage: Describes a person whose romantic relationship or opportunity for marriage was hindered, failed to materialize, or was lost due to circumstances, often implying a sense of regret or fate.
- Having an ill-fated romance: Refers to being in a love affair that was broken off or could not be fulfilled, typically through no major fault of the individuals involved.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cô ấy buồn vì lỡ duyên với người mình yêu. (She is sad because she missed her chance with the person she loved.)
- Hai người lỡ duyên vì gia đình ngăn cấm. (The two had an ill-fated romance because their families forbade it.)
- Ông cụ sống một mình, có lẽ đã lỡ duyên từ thời trẻ. (The old man lives alone, perhaps having missed his chance at love since his youth.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a poetic, tragic, or fatalistic connotation, suggesting love was lost due to external forces, timing, or destiny rather than a simple breakup.
- It can describe a permanent state or a past event that continues to affect one's life, particularly in the context of remaining unmarried.
Variants and Related Words
Lỡ làng (adj): To fail or be ruined, often used for missed opportunities beyond just romance, e.g., a failed plan or career chance.
- Công việc làm ăn lỡ làng. (The business venture failed.)
Lỡ dở (adj): Incomplete, unfinished, or interrupted. Can apply to tasks or relationships.
- Mối tình lỡ dở. (An unfinished love affair.)
Synonyms
- Ill-fated in love: Destined to have an unhappy romantic outcome.
- Having missed one's chance: Failing to seize an opportunity, specifically for marriage or a relationship.
- Thwarted in love: Prevented from having a successful romance.
Related Idioms and Phrases
Lỡ bước sang ngang: A phrase specifically describing a woman who missed her chance to marry (literally: to miss the step to cross over).
- Bà ấy nghĩ mình đã lỡ bước sang ngang. (She thinks she missed her chance to marry.)
Lỡ thời: To be past one's prime, often used in the context of marriageability.
- Sợ rằng con gái mình sẽ lỡ thời. (Fear that one's daughter will be past her prime.)