sắn bìm

Học thuật

Thân thiện

Một dây sắn bìm bám vào thân cây cổ thụ.

Definition

Noun (Literary/Archaic):
- A concubine; a secondary wife: In old Vietnamese literature, "sắn bìm" is a poetic and metaphorical term used to refer to a woman of secondary status in a polygamous household, specifically a concubine.
- A creeper vine on a big tree: The literal, botanical meaning refers to a type of climbing vine that attaches itself to and grows upon a large tree. This natural image is the source of the metaphorical meaning for a dependent, secondary woman.

Usage Examples

Noun:
- Trong xã hội phong kiến, thân phận của người sắn bìm thường rất thấp kém. (In feudal society, the status of a concubine was often very low.)
- Cây sắn bìm bám chặt vào thân cây gỗ lớn. (The creeper vine clings tightly to the trunk of the large tree.)
- "Sắn bìm chút phận con con" (Truyện Kiều) ("A creeper vine, a tiny, humble fate" – The Tale of Kieu)

Advanced Usage

The term is almost exclusively found in classical poetry and literature to evoke a sense of traditional society, fragility, and dependence. Its use in modern Vietnamese is very rare and would be considered highly literary or archaic.

Word Origin and Notes

The word is a compound of "sắn" (a type of vine, like cassava) and "bìm" (a general term for climbing plants, like morning glory). The combined term creates a specific image of a clinging vine.
The metaphorical meaning derives directly from this botanical image: just as the vine depends on the larger tree for support, a concubine was seen as dependent on the primary family structure.

Synonyms

Concubine: a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives. (Closest synonym for the literary meaning)
Secondary wife: a wife of lower legal or social rank.
Creeper / Climbing vine: a plant that grows up surfaces by clinging or twining. (For the literal meaning)

Related Idioms and Phrases

Thân phận sắn bìm: A literary phrase meaning "the fate/status of a concubine," used to describe a position of dependency and low standing.
- Bà ấy cả đời chịu cảnh thân phận sắn bìm. (She endured the status of a concubine her whole life.)

Một dây sắn bìm bám vào thân cây cổ thụ.