tơ điều
Definition
- Noun:
- Red silk thread of fate: A poetic and literary term referring to the mythical red thread of destiny believed to connect two people who are destined to meet or be together, often used in the context of marriage or deep romantic bonds.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Theo truyền thuyết, tơ điều buộc chặt đôi chân của hai người định mệnh. (According to legend, the red thread of fate tightly binds the ankles of two destined people.)
- Họ gặp nhau như đã có tơ điều se sẵn. (They met as if the red thread had already been spun.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in poetic, literary, or highly formal contexts to evoke the concept of predestined love or marriage. It is not used in everyday conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Sợi tơ hồng (n): A more common synonymous phrase meaning "pink/red thread of fate," often associated with the deity Ông Tơ Bà Nguyệt (the Old Man of the Moon and the Matchmaking Lady).
- Ông Tơ Bà Nguyệt se sợi tơ hồng. (The Old Man of the Moon and the Matchmaking Lady spin the red thread.)
Synonyms
- Red thread of destiny: The direct conceptual synonym in English.
- Thread of fate: A more general term.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Se tơ hồng / xe tơ hồng: To act as a matchmaker; to bind with the red thread.
- Nhờ bà ấy se tơ hồng mà họ nên duyên vợ chồng. (Thanks to her matchmaking, they became husband and wife.)