thủ tiết
Definition
- Verb (archaic):
- To remain faithful to one's deceased husband: The primary meaning of "thủ tiết" refers to a widow's commitment to not remarry and to preserve her loyalty to her late husband, often as a Confucian or traditional social virtue.
- To uphold chastity (as a widow): It denotes the act of maintaining marital fidelity after a husband's death, encompassing a lifelong commitment to celibacy and devotion.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Bà ấy thề sẽ thủ tiết, không lấy chồng lần nữa. (She vowed to remain faithful to her deceased husband and not remarry.)
- Tục lệ thủ tiết ngày xưa đòi hỏi sự hy sinh lớn từ người phụ nữ. (The old custom of upholding widow's chastity demanded great sacrifice from women.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is historically and culturally specific, strongly associated with feudal East Asian Confucian norms. Its usage in modern contexts is rare and typically appears in historical, literary, or critical discussions about traditional social practices.
- It implies a voluntary or socially enforced moral duty, often linked to concepts of honor and virtue within the husband's family.
Variants and Related Words
- Tiết nghĩa (n): Fidelity and righteousness; a term encompassing the virtues of loyalty and chastity.
- Thủ tiết thờ chồng (v phrase): To remain faithful to and worship one's deceased husband.
Synonyms
- To remain a chaste widow: To live without remarrying after a husband's death.
- To preserve widow's fidelity: To uphold loyalty to a deceased spouse.
Related Concepts
- Widow's chastity: The state or practice of a widow abstaining from remarriage and sexual relations.
- Confucian virtue: A value system where "thủ tiết" was historically considered a moral ideal for women.