Definition

1. Noun:
   • The male and female sexual organs; the genitals: "nõ nường" is a poetic and somewhat archaic Vietnamese term that refers collectively to the male and female genitalia. It is often used in folk poetry, proverbs, and traditional contexts to symbolize sexuality, fertility, or the fundamental distinction between male and female.
   • A symbol for the union of male and female principles: In a broader, more abstract sense, it can represent the complementary duality of masculine and feminine forces.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong ca dao, hình ảnh "nõ nường" thường được dùng để nói về sự sinh sôi. (In folk poetry, the image of "nõ nường" is often used to talk about propagation.)
  • Tục ngữ có câu: "Cái nõn, cái nường" ý chỉ sự khác biệt nam nữ. (There is a proverb: "The male organ, the female organ," meaning the difference between men and women.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is almost exclusively found in literary, folkloric, or very traditional contexts. It is not used in modern, everyday conversation or formal writing. Its usage evokes a rustic, traditional, or poetic atmosphere.

Variants and Related Words

• Nõn nường: This is the more common variant spelling and form of the same term. "Nõ nường" is considered a variant of "nõn nường."
  • Từ "nõn nường" cũng mang nghĩa tương tự. (The word "nõn nường" carries a similar meaning.)

Synonyms

• Bộ phận sinh dục: genitalia, genitals (a direct, modern, and clinical term).
• Âm dương: yin and yang (a philosophical term for complementary opposites, sometimes used in a similar symbolic context but much broader).

Notes on Meaning

• The term is deeply rooted in Vietnamese folk culture and agricultural society, often associated with fertility rites and the vitality of life.
• Due to its direct reference to sexual organs, it is considered a delicate term. However, in its traditional literary context, it is not vulgar but rather euphemistic and symbolic.

1. như nõn nường