Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Without male descendants / heirless: The primary historical and literary meaning of "vô hậu" describes a person, typically a man or a family line, who has no male offspring to continue the lineage or inherit the family estate. This reflects traditional Confucian values prioritizing male heirs.
   • Without a successor: By extension, it can refer to a situation lacking a designated or worthy successor to a position, tradition, or legacy.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Vị vua đó lo sợ mình sẽ vô hậu. (That king feared he would be without an heir.)
  • Dòng họ ấy đã bị vô hậu. (That clan has become heirless.)
  • Người nghệ nhân lo ngại nghề truyền thống sẽ vô hậu. (The artisan worries the traditional craft will have no successor.)

Advanced Usage

• In classical literature and historical contexts, "vô hậu" is a serious condition, often considered a great misfortune or a failure of filial duty.
• In modern usage, the term is considered archaic and may carry a critical or analytical tone when discussing historical social structures, as it emphasizes the patriarchal focus on male lineage.

Variants and Related Words

• Tuyệt tự (v/phr): to have no descendants, to have one's lineage cut off. This is a closely related, slightly more formal or literary synonym.
  • Căn bệnh khiến ông ấy tuyệt tự. (The illness caused him to have no descendants.)

Synonyms

• Heirless: Having no legal heir.
• Without issue (legal/formal): Having no children or descendants.
• Lineageless: Without a continuing family line (less common).

Related Idioms

• Không nối dõi tông đường: An idiom meaning "to not continue the family line," expressing a similar concept to "vô hậu" in a more descriptive way.
  • Ông lão buồn vì con trai không nối dõi tông đường. (The old man is sad because his son does not continue the family line.)