Definition

1. Adverb:

   • According to legend / As tradition tells: Used to introduce a statement, story, or belief that is passed down orally through generations, often with a mythical or historical basis that may not be verifiable.

2. Verb (less common):

   • To pass down a tradition / to hand down a legend: The act of transmitting a story or custom orally from one generation to the next.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:

  • Tục truyền rằng vị vua đó được rồng sinh ra. (According to legend, that king was born from a dragon.)
  • Ngôi đền này, tục truyền, được xây dựng chỉ trong một đêm. (This temple, as tradition tells, was built in a single night.)

• Verb:

  • Người già trong làng tục truyền những câu chuyện cổ cho con cháu. (The elders in the village pass down ancient stories to their descendants.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used at the beginning of a sentence or clause to signal folklore, myth, or ancient oral history. It sets a narrative tone implying the information is from traditional lore rather than documented history.

Variants and Related Words

• Truyền thuyết (n): legend, mythology.

  • Truyền thuyết về Lạc Long Quân và Âu Cơ. (The legend of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ.)

• Truyền miệng (v): to pass on by word of mouth.

  • Câu chuyện được truyền miệng qua nhiều thế hệ. (The story was passed down by word of mouth through many generations.)

Synonyms

• Legend has it: A common English phrase with a similar function.
• As the story goes: Used to introduce a traditional tale.
• According to folklore: Indicates information from traditional popular culture.

Related Idioms

• While "tục truyền" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it functions similarly to English phrases like "so the legend goes" or "myth tells us that."