sàng đông
Definition
- Noun:
- A traditional Vietnamese custom of selecting a son-in-law: "Sàng đông" refers to the specific practice, often historical or literary, where a family, particularly one of high status or with a daughter of marriageable age, carefully evaluates and chooses a husband for their daughter. The term implies a formal, deliberate selection process.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Gia đình quý tộc tổ chức sàng đông để chọn rể cho con gái. (The noble family held a "sàng đông" to select a son-in-law for their daughter.)
- Tục lệ sàng đông ngày nay rất hiếm thấy. (The custom of "sàng đông" is very rare today.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in historical, cultural, or literary contexts to describe an old-fashioned matrimonial practice. It is not used in modern, everyday conversations about marriage.
Variants and Related Words
- Kén rể (v/n): to select a son-in-law; the act of selecting a son-in-law. This is a more common and contemporary phrase for a similar concept.
- Nhà họ đang kén rể cho cô con gái út. (Their family is selecting a son-in-law for their youngest daughter.)
Synonyms
- Son-in-law selection: the act of choosing a husband for one's daughter.
- Groom selection: a more general term for choosing a marriage partner for a woman.
Related Idioms
- Kén cá chọn canh: To be very choosy or picky, especially in selecting a spouse or partner. This idiom shares the theme of careful selection found in "sàng đông."
- Cô ấy kén cá chọn canh nên vẫn chưa lấy chồng. (She is so picky that she is still not married.)