tục truyền
Definition
Adverb:
- According to legend / As tradition tells: Used to introduce a statement, story, or belief that is passed down orally through generations, often with a mythical or historical basis that may not be verifiable.
Verb (less common):
- To pass down a tradition / to hand down a legend: The act of transmitting a story or custom orally from one generation to the next.
Usage Examples
Adverb:
- Tục truyền rằng vị vua đó được rồng sinh ra. (According to legend, that king was born from a dragon.)
- Ngôi đền này, tục truyền, được xây dựng chỉ trong một đêm. (This temple, as tradition tells, was built in a single night.)
Verb:
- Người già trong làng tục truyền những câu chuyện cổ cho con cháu. (The elders in the village pass down ancient stories to their descendants.)
Advanced Usage
- Often used at the beginning of a sentence or clause to signal folklore, myth, or ancient oral history. It sets a narrative tone implying the information is from traditional lore rather than documented history.
Variants and Related Words
Truyền thuyết (n): legend, mythology.
- Truyền thuyết về Lạc Long Quân và Âu Cơ. (The legend of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ.)
Truyền miệng (v): to pass on by word of mouth.
- Câu chuyện được truyền miệng qua nhiều thế hệ. (The story was passed down by word of mouth through many generations.)
Synonyms
- Legend has it: A common English phrase with a similar function.
- As the story goes: Used to introduce a traditional tale.
- According to folklore: Indicates information from traditional popular culture.
Related Idioms
- While "tục truyền" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, it functions similarly to English phrases like "so the legend goes" or "myth tells us that."