nguyệt lão

Ông nguyệt lão ngồi dưới gốc cây đào tiên, cầm một cuốn sổ ghi chép những sợi chỉ hồng.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Old Man of the Moon: A figure from East Asian mythology, particularly in Chinese and Vietnamese folklore, who is believed to predestine and tie together the fates of future married couples using an invisible red thread.
   • The god of marriage / The matchmaker deity: A celestial being responsible for arranging marriages and ensuring marital unions.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Theo truyền thuyết, nguyệt lão dùng sợi chỉ hồng vô hình để buộc chân những người sẽ thành vợ chồng. (According to legend, the Old Man of the Moon uses an invisible red thread to tie the ankles of those destined to become husband and wife.)
  • Mọi nhân duyên đều do nguyệt lão sắp đặt. (All marital matches are arranged by the Old Man of the Moon.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nguyệt lão" is primarily used in a literary, proverbial, or mythological context. It is not used in everyday modern conversation but appears in folk tales, classical literature, and discussions about traditional beliefs.
• It symbolizes the concept of predestined love and fate in relationships.

Variants and Related Words

• Ông Tơ Bà Nguyệt (n): A common paired phrase referring to the two celestial matchmaker deities (the Old Man of Thread and the Old Lady of the Moon), often used interchangeably with "nguyệt lão" to mean the divine matchmaker(s).
  • Ông Tơ Bà Nguyệt đã se duyên cho họ. (The celestial matchmakers have woven the fate for them.)

Synonyms

• Celestial matchmaker: A divine being who arranges marriages.
• God of marriage: A deity overseeing matrimonial bonds.
• The Old Man of the Moon: The direct translation of the mythological figure.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Sợi chỉ đỏ của nguyệt lão / Chỉ hồng nguyệt lão: The red thread of fate from the Old Man of the Moon. This refers to the invisible red cord that connects two people who are destined to be soulmates or marriage partners.
  • Họ gặp nhau, đó chính là nhờ sợi chỉ đỏ của nguyệt lão. (They met each other, precisely thanks to the red thread of fate from the Old Man of the Moon.)
• Được nguyệt lão se duyên: To have one's marriage fate woven by the Old Man of the Moon; meaning to be destined for each other.
  • Họ hạnh phúc vì được nguyệt lão se duyên. (They are happy because they were fated for each other by the Old Man of the Moon.)