Definition

1. Noun phrase:
   • Ancestral altar offerings: A traditional Vietnamese term referring specifically to the incense bowl and water cup placed on a family altar for worshiping ancestors or deities. It represents the fundamental ritual items for making offerings.

Usage Examples

• Noun phrase:
  • Ngày giỗ, con cháu sửa soạn vừa hương bát nước đầy đủ. (On the death anniversary, the descendants prepare a full set of incense bowl and water cup.)
  • Trên bàn thờ lúc nào cũng có vừa hương bát nước. (On the altar, there is always an incense bowl and a water cup.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase symbolizes the continuity of family worship and filial piety. It is often used in contexts discussing the maintenance of tradition and ancestral rites.

Variants and Related Words

• Bát hương (n): The incense bowl, the central item for holding burning incense sticks on an altar.
• Chén nước (n) / Bát nước (n): The cup or bowl of clear water, often placed alongside the incense bowl as a pure offering.

Synonyms

• Altar vessels: The basic ceremonial objects on an altar.
• Ritual offerings: Items presented during worship.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Giữ vừa hương bát nước: To maintain the ancestral worship; to uphold the family's religious duties.
  • Dù sống xa quê, ông ấy vẫn luôn giữ vừa hương bát nước. (Even living far from home, he always maintains the ancestral altar offerings.)