ma chay
Definition
- Noun:
- Funeral rites; funeral ceremonies: The traditional rituals and activities conducted after a person's death, including the wake, procession, and burial or cremation.
- Matters related to a funeral: The general affairs, arrangements, and often associated costs involved when someone dies.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Gia đình anh ấy đang bận rộn với việc ma chay. (His family is busy with the funeral arrangements.)
- Ma chay ở vùng này theo nhiều phong tục cổ. (Funeral rites in this region follow many ancient customs.)
- Chi phí cho ma chay ngày càng cao. (The cost for funeral matters is increasingly high.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "ma chay" often implies the formal, ceremonial, and sometimes burdensome aspects of handling a death, extending beyond the single event to include the associated traditions and social obligations.
Variants and Related Words
Đám ma (n): the funeral event itself; the funeral.
- Đám ma của ông ấy sẽ được tổ chức vào thứ Bảy. (His funeral will be held on Saturday.)
Tang lễ (n): a more formal term for funeral ceremonies; obsequies.
- Tang lễ được tiến hành một cách trang nghiêm. (The funeral ceremony was conducted solemnly.)
Synonyms
- Funeral: a ceremony for burying or cremating someone.
- Funeral rites: the prescribed rituals for a funeral.
- Obsequies: funeral rites (formal).
Related Idioms
- Ma chay, cưới xin: a common phrase pairing funerals and weddings, referring to the two major life-cycle ceremonies that involve significant ritual and expense.
- Tiền để dành cho việc ma chay, cưới xin. (Money saved for funerals and weddings.)