Definition

1. Noun:
   • Father (archaic): "Nghiêm phụ" is an archaic Vietnamese term used to respectfully refer to one's own father. It conveys a sense of formality, reverence, and strictness associated with the traditional paternal role.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Con xin phép nghiêm phụ cho con đi xa. (I ask for my father's permission to travel far.)
  • Nghiêm phụ tôi là một người rất nguyên tắc. (My father is a man of great principle.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in historical, literary, or highly formal/ceremonial contexts. In modern, everyday Vietnamese, "cha," "bố," or "ba" are used instead.
• It often appears in classical literature, historical dramas, or formal letters to show deep respect.

Variants and Related Words

• Phụ thân (n): Another formal/archaic term for father.
• Nghiêm đường (n): An archaic term referring to the father's presence or authority, often used in the same respectful context.
• Nghiêm quân (n): An extremely formal/archaic term combining "nghiêm" (strict) and "quân" (lord/ruler), used to address one's father with utmost reverence, likening him to a strict lord.

Synonyms

• Cha (n): Father (formal and common).
• Bố (n): Father (common, familiar).
• Ba (n): Father (common, familiar, especially in Southern Vietnam).
• Thầy (n): An old term for father, also meaning teacher.

Notes on Meaning

• The word "nghiêm" (嚴) means strict, stern, or solemn. When combined with "phụ" (父, father), it emphasizes the traditional image of the father as a strict, dignified, and authoritative figure in the family.
• This term reflects Confucian values where the father's role is one of moral guidance and discipline.

1. (từ cũ) Father