táo quân
Definition
- Noun:
- Kitchen God: A deity in Vietnamese folk belief who oversees the household kitchen and family hearth. Traditionally, this god is believed to report on the family's affairs to the Jade Emperor annually.
- Clay tripod: A set of three clay stands used to support a cooking pot over a fire in a traditional kitchen.
Usage Examples
Noun (deity):
- Gia đình tôi cúng táo quân vào ngày 23 tháng Chạp. (My family makes offerings to the Kitchen God on the 23rd day of the last lunar month.)
- Theo truyền thuyết, táo quân bay về trời trên cá chép. (According to legend, the Kitchen God rides a carp to heaven.)
Noun (object):
- Bà ngoại vẫn dùng ba cục táo quân bằng đất để kê nồi. (My grandmother still uses three clay kitchen god stands to prop up her pot.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is central to the annual "Lễ tiễn ông Táo" (Kitchen God Farewell Ceremony) ritual. The belief is that the "táo quân" departs to make an annual report, so families make offerings to ensure a favorable report.
Variants and Related Words
Ông Táo (n): A more common, colloquial name for the Kitchen God deity.
- Mẹ mua đồ cúng cho ông Táo. (Mom bought offerings for the Kitchen God.)
Thần Bếp (n): Literally "Kitchen Deity," a synonym for the god.
- Thần Bếp chứng kiến mọi sinh hoạt trong gia đình. (The Kitchen Deity witnesses all household activities.)
Synonyms
- Kitchen God: The presiding deity of the hearth.
- Hearth god: A deity associated with the home and fireplace.
- Clay stove support: The physical object used in cooking.
Related Cultural Concepts
Cá chép (carp): The vehicle upon which the Kitchen God ascends to heaven. Releasing a live carp is part of the farewell ritual.
- Lễ vật tiễn táo quân thường có cá chép sống. (Offerings to send off the Kitchen God often include a live carp.)
Kẹo mè đen (black sesame candy): A traditional sticky candy offered to the Kitchen God, symbolizing the hope that his words to the Jade Emperor will be sweet or his mouth will be stuck shut.