Definition

1. Noun:
   • Taboo name / forbidden name: The personal, formal name of a person, especially a monarch or ancestor, that is considered sacred and is prohibited from being spoken or written in everyday contexts to show respect and avoid offense.
   • Personal name / given name: More broadly, it can refer to the official name given to a person at birth, distinct from nicknames or courtesy names.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong lịch sử, tên huý của vua không được phép nhắc đến. (In history, the king's taboo name was not allowed to be mentioned.)
  • Tên huý của ông nội tôi là "Đức". (My grandfather's personal name is "Đức".)

Advanced Usage

• The concept of "tên huý" is deeply rooted in East Asian and Vietnamese Confucian tradition, where using the sacred personal name of a superior, especially a ruler or a deceased ancestor, was a serious social and legal taboo. Avoiding its use showed piety and respect.

Variants and Related Words

• Tên thật (n): real name, birth name.

  • Tên huý của ông ấy cũng chính là tên thật. (His taboo name is also his real name.)

• Tên chính thức (n): official name.

• Húy kỵ (n/v): the taboo against using the forbidden name; to avoid using a taboo name.

Synonyms

• Taboo name: a name prohibited from use.
• Personal name: an individual's given name.
• Forbidden name: a name that must not be spoken.

Related Cultural Concepts

• Kiêng huý: the practice of avoiding the use of a taboo name. This often involved substituting different words, changing the pronunciation of common words, or omitting strokes from written characters that resembled the forbidden name.
  • Triều đại này có quy định kiêng huý rất nghiêm ngặt. (This dynasty had very strict rules for name avoidance.)