Definition

1. Verb:
   • To burn incense: The act of lighting and burning incense sticks, cones, or other forms as a ritual offering, especially in a religious or ceremonial context such as worship, prayer, or commemoration.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Trước khi cầu nguyện, họ thường thiêu hương trên bàn thờ. (Before praying, they often burn incense on the altar.)
  • Vào ngày rằm, các Phật tử đến chùa để thiêu hương. (On the full moon day, Buddhists go to the temple to burn incense.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in formal, spiritual, or traditional contexts. It implies a deliberate and respectful act, distinct from simply lighting incense for fragrance.

Variants and Related Words

• Đốt hương (v): A more common, everyday synonym for "to burn incense."
  • Bà tôi đốt hương mỗi sáng. (My grandmother burns incense every morning.)

Synonyms

• To burn incense: To light incense for ritual purposes.
• To offer incense: To present incense as an offering.

Related Idioms

• While "thiêu hương" itself is not commonly part of idioms, the act is central to many cultural and religious practices. A related concept is "hương khói" (incense and smoke), which refers to the continuity of worship and remembrance of ancestors.