nằm nơi

Definition

Verb phrase:
- To be in confinement after childbirth: This phrase specifically describes the traditional Vietnamese practice where a mother rests at home for a period (typically around one month) after giving birth, following specific customs for recovery and health.
- To be lying in: A more general, somewhat archaic English term for the period of rest and recovery after childbirth.

Usage Examples

Verb phrase:
- Chị ấy đang nằm nơi nên không thể ra ngoài được. (She is in confinement after childbirth, so she cannot go out.)
- Theo phong tục, sản phụ cần nằm nơi đủ tháng. (According to custom, a new mother needs to observe the full month of lying-in.)

Advanced Usage

The phrase "nằm nơi" is deeply cultural and refers to the entire postpartum practice, not just the physical act of resting. It implies adherence to specific traditional rules regarding diet, activity, and hygiene for the mother's recovery.
It is considered a more formal or traditional term compared to the more common modern phrase "ở cữ".

Variants and Related Words

Ở cữ (verb phrase): The more standard and commonly used modern term for "to be in postpartum confinement". It is synonymous with "nằm nơi".
- Sau khi sinh, người mẹ phải ở cữ. (After giving birth, the mother must be in confinement.)
Nằm bếp (verb phrase, dialectal): A regional/dialectal variant with the same meaning as "nằm nơi". It literally means "to lie by the kitchen", historically referring to the mother staying in a warm place.
- Bà ngoại bảo ngày xưa bà phải nằm bếp đủ một tháng. (Grandma said in the old days she had to observe the lying-in period by the kitchen for a full month.)

Synonyms

To be in postpartum confinement: The direct and descriptive English equivalent.
To be convalescing after childbirth: Focuses on the recovery aspect.

Related Phrases

Thời gian nằm nơi / ở cữ (noun phrase): The confinement period; the lying-in period.
- Thời gian nằm nơi thường kéo dài khoảng một tháng. (The confinement period usually lasts about a month.)
Kiêng cữ (verb): To observe the taboos and restrictions during the postpartum period.
- Trong lúc nằm nơi, sản phụ phải kiêng cữ nhiều thứ. (While in confinement, the new mother must observe many taboos.)