vàng mã
Definition
- Noun:
- Votive paper offerings: Objects, typically made of paper or paper-like material, that are burned as offerings to deities, ancestors, or spirits in Vietnamese folk religion and spiritual practices. These items are symbolic representations of real-world goods (like money, clothes, houses, or vehicles) intended for use in the afterlife or spirit world.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mọi người mua vàng mã để đốt trong ngày rằm tháng bảy. (People buy votive paper offerings to burn on the full moon of the seventh lunar month.)
- Cửa hàng bán rất nhiều loại vàng mã như tiền, quần áo, và ô tô giấy. (The shop sells many types of votive paper offerings such as money, clothes, and paper cars.)
- Việc đốt vàng mã là một phong tục lâu đời. (Burning votive paper offerings is a long-standing custom.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "vàng mã" is a compound word itself, combining "vàng" (gold) and "mã" (horse), historically referring to paper effigies of gold and horses offered to the dead. Its modern meaning has expanded to include all paper votive items.
- The practice is often associated with important lunar calendar occasions like Tết (Lunar New Year), Vu Lan (Ghost Festival), and death anniversaries.
Variants and Related Words
- Hàng mã (n): A broader term for all types of votive paper goods and effigies, including vàng mã.
- Phố Hàng Mã ở Hà Nội nổi tiếng bán đồ cúng. (Hang Ma Street in Hanoi is famous for selling ritual items.)
Synonyms
- Joss paper: A common English term for paper offerings burned in Asian rituals.
- Votive papers: A direct translation describing their ceremonial purpose.
- Ghost money: Specifically refers to the paper money burned as an offering.
Related Concepts
- Đốt vàng mã (v): The act of burning votive paper offerings.
- Nhiều gia đình vẫn giữ tục đốt vàng mã. (Many families still maintain the custom of burning votive offerings.)
- Đồ cúng (n): General term for all ritual offerings, which can include food, flowers, and vàng mã.