tướng số

Definition

Noun:
- Physiognomy and horoscopy: The art or practice of predicting a person's fate and fortune by analyzing their facial features and bodily appearance (physiognomy) combined with interpreting their birth date and time (horoscopy). It is a traditional form of divination.

Usage Examples

Noun:
- Ông cụ rất giỏi về tướng số. (The old man is very skilled in physiognomy and horoscopy.)
- Cô ấy không tin vào tướng số. (She does not believe in fortune-telling through physiognomy.)
- Anh ấy đi xem tướng số để biết vận mệnh tương lai. (He went to have his fortune told to know his future destiny.)

Advanced Usage

The term "tướng số" is often used broadly to mean "fate" or "destiny" as predicted or determined by these methods.
- Tướng số của anh ta rất tốt. (His predicted fortune is very good.)
It can be part of the compound verb "xem tướng số", meaning "to have one's fortune told" or "to practice fortune-telling."
- Bà ấy sống bằng nghề xem tướng số. (She makes a living by telling fortunes.)

Variants and Related Words

Xem tướng (v): To read someone's face/physiognomy.
- Nhà nghiên cứu có thể xem tướng qua nét mặt. (The researcher can read character through facial features.)
Xem số / Xem bói (v): To tell fortunes, to practice divination (can be by various methods, not exclusively physiognomy and birth time).
- Cô ấy thích đi xem bói. (She likes to go to fortune-tellers.)
Tử vi (n): A complex and systematic form of astrological fortune-telling based on Chinese cosmology, often involving a detailed chart.
Bói toán (n): The general act or practice of fortune-telling or divination.

Synonyms

Related Idioms

Số đỏ: Literally "red number/luck," meaning a streak of good luck or a fortunate destiny.
- Anh ta đúng là có số đỏ. (He truly has a lucky streak.)
Số đen: Literally "black number/luck," meaning a streak of bad luck or an unfortunate destiny.
- Hôm nay tôi gặp toàn số đen. (I encountered nothing but bad luck today.)