Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sorcerer or shaman: Specifically refers to a traditional ritual practitioner, often from certain ethnic minority groups in Vietnam, who performs ceremonies for healing, divination, or communicating with spirits.
   • A folk healer or medium: A person believed to have the ability to intervene in spiritual matters to cure illnesses, bring good fortune, or ward off bad luck.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Người làng mời thầy tào đến cúng cho bệnh nhân. (The villagers invited the sorcerer to perform a ritual for the sick person.)
  • Thầy tào khấn vái và đọc những câu chú. (The shaman prayed and recited incantations.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is culturally specific and is often used in the context of the spiritual practices of groups like the Tày, Nùng, or Dao ethnicities. It denotes a specific social and religious role, distinct from more general terms like "phù thủy" (witch/wizard).

Variants and Related Words

• Thầy mo (n): Another term for a traditional healer or shaman, commonly used among other ethnic groups.

  • Thầy mo cũng làm nhiệm vụ chữa bệnh bằng nghi lễ. (The thầy mo also performs the duty of healing through rituals.)

• Pháp sư (n): A more formal or literary term for a magician or sorcerer, sometimes used in broader contexts.

• Thầy cúng (n): A ritual master who performs worship ceremonies; the role can overlap with that of a .

Synonyms

• Sorcerer: A person who uses magic, often involving spirits.
• Shaman: A person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of spirits.
• Medicine man: A traditional healer who uses spiritual methods.

Related Cultural Notes

• The practice of a is deeply connected to animist beliefs and ancestor worship. Their rituals often involve offerings, music, dance, and the use of specific ritual objects.
• This role is traditionally passed down through lineages or chosen by spiritual calling, and it holds significant respect within its community.