tứ tử
Definition
Noun:
- Four sons: A literal term referring to a group of four male offspring or descendants.
- The Four Sons (historical/literary): In some classical East Asian contexts, it can refer to a specific group of four renowned or filial sons.
Noun (in games):
- Square (in the game of Ô Ăn Quan): In the traditional Vietnamese mandarin board game (Ô Ăn Quan), "tứ tử" specifically names one of the two large, rectangular "mandarin" squares located at the ends of the board. It is the square containing four "child" pieces.
Usage Examples
- Noun (literal):
- Ông cụ có tứ tử đều thành đạt. (The old man has four sons, all of whom are successful.)
- Noun (in games):
- Khi bắt đầu chơi Ô Ăn Quan, ô "tứ tử" có bốn quân con. (At the start of playing Ô Ăn Quan, the "tứ tử" square has four child pieces.)
Advanced Usage
- In the context of , the board has two large squares: "tứ tử" (containing four pieces) and "ngũ tử" (containing five pieces). Capturing the pieces from these squares is often a key strategic goal.
Variants and Related Words
- Ngũ tử (n): The other large "mandarin" square in , which contains five child pieces.
- Ô Ăn Quan (n): The traditional Vietnamese board game, also known as Mandarin Square Capturing.
Synonyms
- Square (game context): A playing area on a board.
- Mandarin square (specific to Ô Ăn Quan).
Notes on Usage
- The term is highly specific in modern usage. Outside of historical/literary references to four sons, its primary contemporary use is in the context of the traditional game . The French gloss "carré" (square) directly corresponds to this game-board meaning.