mão
Definition
Noun:
- The fourth earthly branch in the traditional Vietnamese zodiac cycle: "Mão" is one of the twelve zodiac signs (Địa Chi) used in the traditional East Asian calendar system. It corresponds to the Rabbit in the Vietnamese zodiac.
- A specific two-hour period in the traditional timekeeping system: "Giờ Mão" refers to the time period from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM.
Noun (dialectal):
- A hat or headgear: In some Vietnamese dialects, "mão" is used to refer to a type of traditional hat or head covering.
Usage Examples
Noun (Zodiac):
- Tôi sinh năm Mão. (I was born in the Year of the Cat/Rabbit.)
- Giờ Mão là lúc bình minh lên. (The hour of Mão is when dawn breaks.)
Noun (Dialectal):
- Ông cụ đội chiếc mão lá. (The old man wears a leaf hat.)
Advanced Usage
- "Tuổi Mão": Refers specifically to a person whose birth year is governed by the Mão zodiac sign.
- Tính cách người tuổi Mão thường ôn hòa. (The personality of a person born in the Year of the Cat/Rabbit is often gentle.)
Variants and Related Words
- Mẹo: An alternate, common spelling for the zodiac sign "Mão".
- Giáp Mão: A specific year in the 60-year cycle, combining the celestial stem "Giáp" with the earthly branch "Mão".
Synonyms
- Rabbit/Cat (Zodiac): The animal sign for the fourth earthly branch (Note: In Vietnamese culture, the sign is often represented by a Cat, unlike in Chinese zodiac where it is a Rabbit).
- Dawn hours: For the time period.
- Headgear: For the dialectal meaning.
Notes on Cultural Context
- In the Vietnamese zodiac, the animal for the "Mão" branch is commonly the Cat (Mèo), whereas in the Chinese zodiac it is the Rabbit. This is a key cultural distinction.
- The twelve earthly branches (Thập Nhị Địa Chi) are used in astrology, fortune-telling, and traditional calendar systems.