Definition

1. Noun:
   • A household in mourning; a bereaved family: Refers specifically to a family that has recently experienced a death and is conducting funeral rites. This is a local/dialectal term.
   • A house with a funeral: Denotes the physical home where funeral activities are taking place.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Mọi người trong làng đều đến thăm nhà khó để chia buồn. (Everyone in the village visited the bereaved family to offer condolences.)
  • Tiếng khóc thương vang lên từ nhà khó. (The sound of mourning wailed from the house with the funeral.)
  • Họ là nhà khó, cần sự giúp đỡ của hàng xóm. (They are a family in mourning and need their neighbors' help.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nhà khó" is primarily used in specific local dialects or contexts. In more standard or formal Vietnamese, phrases like "gia đình có tang" (a family in mourning) or "nhà có đám ma" (a house with a funeral) are more common.
• It functions as a noun phrase and is typically used with verbs like "đến" (to visit), "thăm" (to visit), "giúp đỡ" (to help), "chia buồn" (to condole).

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà đám: A more common synonym with the same meaning (a household holding a funeral/wedding; context clarifies which). "Nhà khó" is noted as being dialectally equivalent to "nhà đám" in the context of a funeral.
• Gia đình có tang: (Formal) A bereaved family; a family in mourning.
• Nhà hiếu: (Formal/Literary) A term for a family observing mourning rites.

Synonyms

• Nhà đám: (when referring to a funeral context) Household holding a funeral.
• Gia đình có tang: Bereaved family.
• Nhà có đám ma: House with a funeral.

Notes on Meaning

• Core Meaning: The term's primary and specific meaning is a family/home where a death has recently occurred and funeral ceremonies are being held. It does not mean "a poor family" (which would be "nhà nghèo"), despite the literal translation of "khó".
• Dialectal Use: Marked as dialectal (địa phương or đph). Its usage may be limited to certain regions in Vietnam.
• Context is Key: Understanding comes from the context of death and mourning. It is a sensitive term used to describe a specific, difficult situation.

1. (địa phương) như nhà đám