Definition

1. Verb phrase (idiomatic): - To hold a debt of gratitude until death; to be eternally grateful: This is a literary idiom derived from the full phrase "kết cỏ ngậm vành." It expresses an extreme, unpayable depth of gratitude, a debt one vows to remember and repay even after death. It implies a solemn, eternal promise of remembrance and loyalty born from a great favor received.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Ân nghĩa ấy, tôi xin ngậm vành mà ghi tạc. (For that great kindness, I vow to be eternally grateful.)
  • Lời hứa ngậm vành ấy đã theo ông suốt cuộc đời. (That promise of eternal gratitude followed him throughout his life.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is almost exclusively used in its full, classical form: "kết cỏ ngậm vành." Using just "ngậm vành" is a poetic shorthand, relying on the listener's knowledge of the complete idiom. It belongs to a high, literary register and is not used in everyday conversation.
• Cultural/Literary Context: The idiom originates from an ancient Chinese legend. A warrior, helped by a stranger, promised to repay him even in the afterlife. He said if he could not find the man, he would "kết cỏ" (tie grass) to trip the chariot of the man's enemy and "ngậm vành" (hold the bit in his mouth) to serve as his horse in the next life, symbolizing ultimate repayment.

Variants and Related Words

• Kết cỏ ngậm vành (idiom): The full, standard form of the idiom meaning "to swear to repay a debt of gratitude even after death."
• Mang ơn (verb): to be indebted, to owe a favor. (A more common, less intense synonym).
• Ghi tạc (verb): to engrave in memory, to remember deeply (often used with "ngậm vành").

Synonyms

• Mang ơn suốt đời: to be grateful for a lifetime.
• Đội ơn: to receive a favor/gratitude (formal).
• Ghi lòng tạc dạ: to engrave in one's heart and mind (to remember forever).

Related Idioms

• Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây: When eating the fruit, remember the planter. (Remember the source of your benefits).
• Uống nước nhớ nguồn: When drinking water, remember the source. (Similar to above, be grateful to origins).
• Một chữ cũng là thầy, nửa chữ cũng là thầy: Even one word (of teaching) makes you my teacher. (Deep respect for teachers/mentors).

1. Kết cỏ ngậm vành, xem kết