Definition

1. Noun:

   • Blessings and virtue / Accumulated good fortune: The positive outcomes, happiness, and good luck believed to result from the virtuous deeds and moral life of oneself or one's ancestors. It implies a spiritual or karmic merit that benefits the present and future generations.

2. Adjective:

   • Benevolent / Kind-hearted: Describes a person who is inherently good, kind, and often performs charitable or virtuous acts.
   • Extremely fortunate / Blessed: Describes a state of being very lucky or favored, often seen as a reward for good moral conduct.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Ông bà để lại nhiều phúc đức cho con cháu. (The grandparents left a great legacy of blessings and virtue for their grandchildren.)
  • Nhà này phúc đức lắm, mọi việc đều suôn sẻ. (This house has great accumulated good fortune; everything goes smoothly.)

• Adjective:

  • Bà ấy là một người rất phúc đức, hay giúp đỡ người nghèo. (She is a very benevolent person, often helping the poor.)
  • Có được công việc này tôi thấy mình thật phúc đức. (To have this job, I feel truly blessed.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept is central to Vietnamese spiritual beliefs, combining ideas of luck () and moral virtue (). It is often seen as a family legacy that can be increased or diminished by one's actions.
• "phúc đức tại mẫu": A traditional saying meaning "The mother's virtue determines the children's happiness," highlighting the perceived role of the mother's morality in shaping the family's fortune.

Variants and Related Words

• Phúc (n): Happiness, good fortune, blessing.
  • Hưởng phúc. (To enjoy good fortune.)
• Đức (n): Virtue, moral integrity.
  • Tích đức. (To accumulate virtue through good deeds.)
• Phúc hậu (adj): Kind-hearted and generous.
  • Gương mặt phúc hậu. (A kind and generous face.)

Synonyms

• Noun: Blessing, good fortune, merit, legacy of virtue.
• Adjective: Benevolent, kind-hearted, virtuous, blessed, fortunate.

Related Idioms and Sayings

• Ăn ở có phúc đức: To live a virtuous and moral life.
  • Nhờ ăn ở có phúc đức nên gia đình họ rất hạnh phúc. (Because they live virtuously, their family is very happy.)
• Phúc đức ông bà để lại: The blessings and virtue inherited from ancestors.
  • Thành công này là nhờ phúc đức ông bà để lại. (This success is thanks to the blessings inherited from our ancestors.)

adj

1. blessing