tư bôn
Definition
- Verb (archaic):
- To elope: The specific historical meaning of "tư bôn" refers to the act of an unmarried woman, in traditional feudal society, secretly leaving her family home to run away with her lover, against social and familial expectations.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Trong vở kịch, cô gái quyết định tư bôn với chàng trai. (In the play, the girl decided to elope with the young man.)
- Hành động tư bôn của bà cố tôi từng gây chấn động cả dòng họ. (My great-grandmother's act of eloping once shocked the entire clan.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "tư bôn" is almost exclusively used in historical, literary, or academic contexts to describe a specific social phenomenon in Vietnam's past. It is not used in modern conversation to describe contemporary elopement.
Word Origin and Notes
- Etymology: This is a Sino-Vietnamese compound word. "Tư" (私) means private or personal. "Bôn" (奔) means to run away or to flee. Combined, they literally mean "to run away for private/personal reasons," which was a euphemism for a woman eloping.
- Cultural Context: This action was considered a serious transgression against Confucian family order and social norms in pre-modern Vietnam, often bringing disgrace to the woman's family.
Synonyms
- To elope: To run away secretly to get married.
- To abscond (with a lover): To leave hurriedly and secretly, especially to avoid detection.
Related Concepts
- Lễ giáo: The traditional rites and moral codes that the act of "tư bôn" directly violated.
- Hôn nhân sắp đặt: Arranged marriage, which was the social norm that "tư bôn" acted against.