tòng
Definition
- Verb (archaic): To follow, to obey, or to submit to. This is a classical Sino-Vietnamese term, now primarily found in literary or historical contexts, especially relating to traditional Confucian female virtues.
- Noun (archaic): The concept or duty of obedience, specifically referring to the Confucian "three obediences" for women.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Phận gái chữ tòng. (A woman's lot is the virtue of obedience.)
- Nàng theo đạo tòng phu. (She adhered to the doctrine of following her husband.)
Advanced Usage
- This word is almost exclusively used in fixed, classical phrases. Its meaning is deeply tied to historical social codes, particularly "tam tòng" (the three obediences: at home, follow the father; married, follow the husband; widowed, follow the son).
Variants and Related Words
- Tòng phu (v): To follow one's husband; to be submissive to one's husband as per traditional doctrine.
- Tòng quân (v): To join the army. (Note: This is a different, more modern compound where "tòng" means "to follow" in a general sense.)
- Tòng táng (v): To be buried alive with a deceased master or spouse; a form of sacrificial following.
Synonyms
- Tuân theo: To obey, to comply.
- Phục tùng: To submit, to be submissive.
- Đi theo: To follow.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Tam tòng tứ đức: The "three obediences and four virtues," the traditional Confucian code of conduct for women.
- Chữ tòng: The ideogram/virtue of "obedience" (as in the example from ).