tĩnh tâm
Definition
Verb:
- To meditate / To contemplate: To focus one's mind in silence, often for spiritual or religious purposes, to achieve inner peace and clarity.
- To calm one's mind / To quiet one's heart: To intentionally make one's mind and emotions still and peaceful, avoiding disturbances and agitation.
Adjective (descriptive state):
- Meditative / Contemplative / Calm-hearted: Describing a state of having a peaceful, quiet, and focused mind.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Mỗi sáng, ông ấy dành một giờ để tĩnh tâm. (Every morning, he spends an hour to meditate.)
- Trước khi đưa ra quyết định quan trọng, cô ấy cần thời gian tĩnh tâm. (Before making an important decision, she needs time to calm her mind.)
- Adjective:
- Không gian ở đây thật yên tĩnh, rất thích hợp cho một tâm trạng tĩnh tâm. (The atmosphere here is very quiet, very suitable for a meditative state of mind.)
Advanced Usage
- Religious Retreat: In a Catholic context, "tĩnh tâm" can specifically refer to a spiritual retreat where participants withdraw for prayer and reflection.
- Các linh mục trong giáo xứ đang tham dự một khóa tĩnh tâm ba ngày. (The priests in the parish are attending a three-day spiritual retreat.)
Variants and Related Words
- Tĩnh lặng (adj): peaceful, tranquil, quiet (often describing the external environment or atmosphere).
- Tĩnh tọa (v): to sit in stillness/meditation (a more formal or literary term for seated meditation).
Synonyms
- Meditate: To focus the mind for spiritual purposes or relaxation.
- Contemplate: To think deeply and quietly.
- Compose oneself: To become calm and collected.
Related Idioms
- Tĩnh tâm dưỡng trí: To calm the mind to nurture the intellect. (Implies that a peaceful mind is necessary for clear thinking and wisdom.)
- Giai đoạn này anh nên tĩnh tâm dưỡng trí, đừng để bị ảnh hưởng bởi ngoại cảnh. (During this period, you should calm your mind to nurture your intellect, don't let yourself be affected by external circumstances.)