thờ cúng
Definition
- Verb:
- To worship; to venerate: The primary meaning of "thờ cúng" is to perform acts of religious devotion, showing deep respect and reverence, typically towards deities, spirits, or ancestors. It involves prescribed rituals and offerings.
- To practice a cult / to engage in ancestor worship: This refers specifically to the systematic practice of rituals associated with a particular object of veneration, most commonly ancestors in Vietnamese tradition.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Người Việt thờ cúng tổ tiên trong nhà. (Vietnamese people worship their ancestors at home.)
- Họ thờ cúng các vị thần một cách thành kính. (They worship the gods with reverence.)
- Việc thờ cúng được thực hiện vào ngày rằm hàng tháng. (The worship is performed on the full moon day every month.)
Advanced Usage
- "thờ cúng ông bà": to worship one's grandparents/ancestors. This is a very common specific application of the term.
- Truyền thống thờ cúng ông bà rất quan trọng. (The tradition of ancestor worship is very important.)
Variants and Related Words
Thờ phụng (v): to worship, to revere. Often used interchangeably with "thờ cúng," but can carry a slightly more formal or general tone of veneration.
- Thờ phụng thần linh. (To worship deities.)
Cúng bái (v): to make offerings and perform rituals. Emphasizes the physical acts of presenting offerings and bowing.
- Cúng bái trước bàn thờ. (To make offerings before the altar.)
Synonyms
- Worship: To show reverence and adoration for a deity or sacred object.
- Venerate: To regard with great respect, often in a religious context.
- Honor (ancestors): To show high respect, especially through rituals.
Related Idioms
- Thờ cúng như một cái máy: To worship mechanically / perfunctorily. This idiom criticizes performing rituals without genuine belief or feeling.
- Anh ta thờ cúng như một cái máy, không có lòng thành. (He worships mechanically, without sincerity.)