thệ thủy
Definition
- Noun (Archaic/Literary):
- Flowing water that does not return / Eternal water: This term poetically describes water that, once it flows away, never comes back, symbolizing the irreversible passage of time or a final farewell. It evokes the image of a constant, unceasing river.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Thời gian như thệ thủy, một đi không trở lại. (Time is like flowing water that does not return, gone never to come back.)
- Lời thề ấy đã hóa thành thệ thủy. (That vow has turned into eternal, departed waters.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in classical Vietnamese poetry, literary texts, or formal, solemn speech to convey deep sentiment about loss, the past, or irrevocable change.
Variants and Related Words
- Bất phản (adj): not returning, irreversible. Often used in similar philosophical contexts.
- Vĩnh biệt (v): to bid a permanent farewell.
Synonyms
- Irreversible flow: Emphasizes the unreturning nature.
- Eternal current: Highlights the perpetual, timeless movement.
Related Idioms and Classical References
- While not a modern idiom, "thệ thủy" is conceptually linked to the classical Chinese idiom "thệ thủy phóng chu" (to set a boat adrift on the flowing water), symbolizing a decisive, irreversible action or separation.
- Quyết định của anh ta như thệ thủy phóng chu. (His decision was like setting a boat adrift on the flowing water—final and unchangeable.)