quyến cố
Definition
- Verb (archaic, literary):
- To feel pity for; to have compassion for: To look back with sympathy, sorrow, or tender concern towards someone or something, often implying a nostalgic or regretful affection for a person or situation from the past.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Nhìn cảnh cũ, lòng ông quyến cố. (Looking at the old scene, his heart felt pity/compassion.)
- Nàng quyến cố đến thân phận của người xưa. (She felt compassion for the fate of those from former times.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is primarily found in classical Vietnamese poetry and literary texts. Its usage in modern spoken Vietnamese is extremely rare and would be considered highly formal or archaic.
Word Origin and Notes
- Etymology: A compound of Sino-Vietnamese elements. "Quyến" (眷) implies caring attachment or regard. "Cố" (顧) means to look back, to consider, or to care for. The combined meaning centers on a compassionate, backward-looking regard.
- Note: Due to its archaic nature, "quyến cố" is not used in everyday communication. Learners are more likely to encounter it in literary analysis or historical texts.
Synonyms
- Thương xót: to pity, to feel sorry for.
- Thương cảm: to sympathize, to feel compassion.
- Đoái thương (also literary): to regard with pity or compassion.
Related Concepts
- Hoài cổ: to cherish the past, to be nostalgic. While "hoài cổ" is about nostalgia for the past in general, "quyến cố" specifically adds a layer of pity or compassionate sorrow.
- Luyến tiếc: to regret, to feel wistful about. This shares the sense of looking back with emotion but focuses more on regretful longing than compassionate pity.