thửa công đức
Definition
- Noun phrase:
- A portion of merit: A Buddhist and spiritual concept referring to an individual's share or portion of accumulated good deeds, virtuous acts, or merit from past actions, which is believed to influence their present life and future karma.
- As if it were merit: An idiomatic interpretation meaning to regard or accept something as if it were a meritorious act, often used to encourage a positive or accepting attitude toward an action or situation.
Usage Examples
- Noun phrase:
- Mong rằng thửa công đức của tổ tiên sẽ phù hộ cho chúng ta. (I hope that our ancestors' portion of merit will bless us.)
- Anh cứ coi việc khó khăn này là một thửa công đức để rèn luyện bản thân. (Just consider this difficult task as if it were merit to train yourself.)
- Làm việc thiện là để tích lũy thửa công đức cho kiếp sau. (Doing good deeds is to accumulate a portion of merit for the next life.)
Advanced Usage
- This phrase is deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy and Vietnamese folk belief. It is often used in contexts discussing karma, fate, spiritual cultivation, or moral lessons. It can imply passive acceptance ("just take it as merit") or active accumulation of good karma.
Variants and Related Words
Công đức (n): Merit, virtue, or good deeds, especially in a religious or spiritual context.
- Làm từ thiện là một hành động tạo công đức. (Charity is an act that creates merit.)
Phước đức (n): Similar to "công đức," often translated as "blessings" or "good fortune" resulting from virtuous acts.
- Sống lương thiện để có phước đức. (Live honestly to have blessings.)
Synonyms
- Share of merit: A direct conceptual synonym.
- Karmic portion: Refers to the part of one's karma resulting from good deeds.
- Spiritual credit: A more modern, metaphorical synonym.
Related Idioms
- Coi như thửa công đức: To regard/consider something as if it were merit; to accept something (often inconvenient or challenging) with a resigned or positive attitude for a greater good.
- Công việc vất vả, nhưng hãy coi như thửa công đức vậy. (The work is hard, but just consider it as if it were merit.)