Definition

1. Noun:
   • Parents (both father and mother): "song đường" is an archaic, literary Vietnamese term that respectfully refers to one's parents as a pair. It literally means "two paths" or "two roads," poetically symbolizing the dual source of one's life and upbringing.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Anh ấy luôn hiếu thảo với song đường. (He is always filial to his parents.)
  • Công ơn song đường sâu nặng tựa biển trời. (The gratitude owed to one's parents is as deep and vast as the sea and sky.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is almost exclusively found in classical literature, poetry, formal writing, or proverbs. It carries a tone of deep respect and formality. In modern, everyday conversation, the words "cha mẹ" or "bố mẹ" are used instead.

Variants and Related Words

• Xuân đường (n): An archaic, literary term specifically for one's father.
• Huyên đường (n): An archaic, literary term specifically for one's mother.
• Song thân (n): Another formal/literary term for parents, meaning "two progenitors." It is slightly more common in modern formal contexts than "song đường."

Synonyms

• Cha mẹ (n): Parents (standard, modern term).
• Bố mẹ (n): Parents (common, colloquial term).
• Phụ mẫu (n): Parents (formal, often used in legal or official contexts).

Related Idioms

• Công cha như núi Thái Sơn, nghĩa mẹ như nước trong nguồn chảy ra: (A father's merit is as great as Mount Tai, a mother's love is like water flowing from its source.) A proverb highlighting the immense gratitude owed to parents. While not containing "song đường," it perfectly encapsulates the concept the term represents.

1. (từ cũ) Parents