tái thế tương phùng

Definition

1. Idiom (Four-character idiom):
   • To meet again in a second life; a reunion in a new incarnation: A classical literary idiom describing a profound, seemingly fated reunion that feels as if it has occurred across lifetimes. It implies separation so long or so complete that meeting again feels like being reborn or reincarnated to encounter one another anew.
   • A miraculous reunion after a long and seemingly permanent separation: Often used to describe an emotional, unexpected reunion of loved ones or dear friends after a very long period of time or after surviving great hardship, making the meeting feel miraculous or destined.

Usage Examples

• Idiom:
  • Sau hai mươi năm lưu lạc, cuộc gặp gỡ của họ đúng là một cuộc tái thế tương phùng. (After twenty years of wandering, their meeting was truly a reunion in a new incarnation.)
  • Chiến tranh chia cắt họ, ai cũng tưởng đã mất nhau. Không ngờ lại có ngày tái thế tương phùng. (The war separated them, and everyone thought they were lost to each other. Who would have thought there would be a day for a miraculous reunion after a seeming eternity.)

Advanced Usage & Cultural Context

• This idiom is deeply rooted in classical Vietnamese literature, particularly influenced by the concept of reincarnation and fate in East Asian philosophy. It carries a strong poetic and sentimental weight.
• It is most famously associated with the reunion scene in the epic poem by Nguyễn Du, where the protagonist Kiều, after immense suffering, is miraculously reunited with her family and her first love, Kim Trọng. The reunion feels like a rebirth for all involved.

Variants and Related Words

• Đoàn tụ (v): to reunite. A standard, non-idiomatic term for reunion.

  • Gia đình họ đã đoàn tụ sau nhiều năm xa cách. (Their family reunited after many years apart.)

• Gặp gỡ (v): to meet, to encounter. A general term for meeting someone.

  • Họ tình cờ gặp gỡ nhau ở sân bay. (They accidentally met each other at the airport.)

Synonyms

• A fated reunion: A meeting determined by destiny.
• A miraculous reunion: A meeting that happens against all odds.
• A reunion as if reborn: Emphasizes the feeling of new life in the meeting.

Related Idioms

• Bể dâu, dâu bể (literally "mulberry fields turn into seas, seas turn into mulberry fields"): Refers to the vast, unpredictable changes of life and fortune, often setting the stage for unexpected reunions like .
  • Cuộc đời đầy những biến cố bể dâu, may sao chúng tôi còn được tái thế tương phùng. (Life is full of unpredictable vicissitudes; fortunately, we still experienced a miraculous reunion.)