Definition

Noun: - Husband and wife: A traditional term referring specifically to a married couple, emphasizing their spousal relationship and bond. It carries a formal, somewhat literary tone.

Usage

• This word is used to refer to a married couple as a unit. It is considered formal and is more common in literary, poetic, or traditional contexts than in everyday modern speech.
• It is often used in fixed expressions or to convey a sense of solemnity, duty, or deep affection within marriage.

Examples

• (The bond of husband and wife is as weighty as a high mountain.)
• (They lived together for life, fulfilling the complete duty of husband and wife.)
• (The affection between husband and wife is truly precious.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is deeply embedded in traditional Vietnamese culture and Confucian values, often associated with concepts of mutual obligation (), fidelity, and harmony within the marital relationship.
• It is frequently found in classical poetry (), folk songs, proverbs, and historical or literary texts.

Variants and Related Words

• Vợ chồng (noun): The standard, neutral, and most common modern term for "husband and wife" or "married couple."
• Đôi vợ chồng (noun phrase): A married couple.
• Vợ (noun): Wife.
• Chồng (noun): Husband.
• Gia đình (noun): Family (a broader term).

Synonyms

• Vợ chồng: Husband and wife; married couple (the direct and most common synonym).
• Đôi lứa: A couple (often a romantic couple, can imply a younger or newlywed couple; more poetic).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Nghĩa phu thê: The moral obligation/duty/bond between husband and wife.
  • Họ đã giữ trọn nghĩa phu thê. (They kept the full marital bond.)
• Tình phu thê: The love/affection between husband and wife.
  • Tình phu thê sâu nặng. (The conjugal love is deep and profound.)

noun

1. husband and wife