thánh mẫu

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Holy Mother / Saintly Mother: A title used in Vietnamese religious contexts to refer to a revered female deity or saint, often embodying maternal compassion and divine power. Most commonly refers to the Virgin Mary in Catholicism.
   • Goddess / Female Deity: In some folk religion and Taoist contexts, it can refer to a principal goddess or a deified mother figure.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Đức Mẹ Maria được tôn kính là Thánh Mẫu. (The Virgin Mary is venerated as the Holy Mother.)
  • Ngôi đền thờ một vị thánh mẫu của địa phương. (The temple worships a local goddess/mother saint.)

Advanced Usage

• "Thánh Mẫu Liễu Hạnh": A specific and major Vietnamese mother goddess in the Đạo Mẫu (Mother Goddess Religion) tradition.
  • Lễ hội Phủ Dầy tôn vinh Thánh Mẫu Liễu Hạnh. (The Phu Day festival honors the Holy Mother Lieu Hanh.)

Variants and Related Words

• Đức Mẹ (n): A common Vietnamese Catholic term for the Virgin Mary, meaning "The Virtuous Mother" or "Our Lady."

  • Đức Mẹ Hằng Cứu Giúp (Our Lady of Perpetual Help).

• Mẫu (n): Mother; used as a component in titles for goddesses and revered women, e.g., Mẫu Thượng Ngàn (Mother of the Forest).

Synonyms

• Holy Mother: A sacred maternal figure.
• Goddess: A female deity.
• Virgin Mary: Specifically in Christian contexts.

Related Cultural Concepts

• Đạo Mẫu: The Vietnamese Mother Goddess Religion, a system of worshipping multiple mother goddesses (), where is a key title.
  • Đạo Mẫu có một hệ thống các vị thánh mẫu cai quản các miền khác nhau. (The Mother Goddess Religion has a system of holy mothers governing different realms.)