têt

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • Lunar New Year / Vietnamese New Year: The most important and widely celebrated festival in Vietnam, marking the beginning of the new year according to the lunisolar calendar. It is a time for family reunions, honoring ancestors, and wishing for good fortune.
    • New Year's Day: Can refer to the first day of the year, either the traditional Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) or the international solar New Year (Tết Dương lịch).

  2. Verb (archaic/formal):

    • To give presents on the occasion of a major festival: The act of offering gifts, especially to teachers or superiors, during the major annual holidays.
Usage Examples

  • Noun:

    • Cả gia đình sum họp vào dịp Tết. (The whole family gathers on the occasion of Tết.)
    • Tết Nguyên Đán thường rơi vào tháng Một hoặc tháng Hai dương lịch. (Lunar New Year usually falls in January or February of the solar calendar.)
    • Chúc mừng Năm Mới! Chúc một cái Tết an lành! (Happy New Year! Wishing you a peaceful Tết!)

  • Verb:

    • Ngày xưa, học trò thường tết thầy vào dịp lễ lớn. (In the past, students often gave presents to their teachers on the occasion of major festivals.)
Advanced Usage

  • "Ăn Tết": to celebrate Tết. This phrase encompasses all activities of the holiday.

    • Năm nay tôi sẽ ăn Tết ở quê. (This year I will celebrate Tết in my hometown.)

  • "Đi Tết" or "Chúc Tết": to visit and offer New Year's wishes (and often gifts) to relatives, friends, or superiors during the Tết holiday.

    • Mùng Một Tết, con cháu đi Tết ông bà. (On the first day of Tết, grandchildren visit their grandparents to offer New Year's wishes.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Tết Nguyên Đán (n): The full and formal name for the traditional Lunar New Year celebration.
  • Tết Dương lịch (n): The solar New Year's Day (January 1st).
  • Tết Âm lịch (n): Another common term for Lunar New Year.
  • Tết Tây (n, informal): A colloquial term for the Western (solar) New Year.
Synonyms
  • Lunar New Year: The general term for celebrations in many Asian cultures.
  • Festival: A day or period of celebration.
  • Holiday: A day of festivity or recreation.
Related Idioms and Phrases

  • "Vui như Tết": (As joyful as Tết) Used to describe a very happy and festive atmosphere.

    • Bọn trẻ được quà, vui như Tết. (The children got gifts and were as happy as during Tết.)

  • "Nghèo rớt mồng tơi, cũng cố giữ cái Tết": (Even if extremely poor, one still tries to keep Tět) Emphasizes the supreme cultural importance of the holiday, meaning one makes every effort to celebrate it properly regardless of circumstances.