tơ lòng
Definition
- Noun (Literary):
- Sentimental bonds or threads of the heart: A poetic term from classical Vietnamese literature referring to the delicate, lingering feelings of affection, love, or longing that connect people. It describes emotional attachments that are as fine yet strong as silk threads.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mối tơ lòng ấy vẫn còn vương vấn. (Those sentimental threads of the heart still linger.)
- Thơ ca cổ điển thường nhắc đến "tơ lòng". (Classical poetry often mentions "tơ lòng".)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in a literary, poetic, or highly stylistic context to evoke a sense of tender, melancholic, or unbreakable emotional connection. It is considered archaic in modern everyday speech.
Variants and Related Words
- Tơ vương (n): A near-synonymous literary term meaning lingering, attached feelings of love or longing.
- Mối tơ vương khó dứt. (A lingering attachment is hard to sever.)
Synonyms
- Emotional ties: Bonds formed by feelings.
- Heartstrings: Deep feelings of love or pity (provides a close conceptual equivalent in English).
Related Idioms
- Còn vương tơ lòng: (To) still be entangled by the threads of the heart; to have lingering feelings.
- Dẫu đã xa nhau, nhưng cô ấy vẫn còn vương tơ lòng. (Even though they are apart, she still has lingering feelings.)