ván đã đóng thuyền
Definition
- Idiom (figurative expression):
- The die is cast / The wood is already made into a boat: Expresses that a decision has been made, an action has been taken, or a situation has been irreversibly changed, and one must now accept and live with the consequences. It emphasizes a point of no return.
- What's done is done: Conveys that a past event or action cannot be undone or changed, so one should focus on the present or future.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Chúng ta đã ký hợp đồng, ván đã đóng thuyền, giờ phải thực hiện thôi. (We have signed the contract, the die is cast, now we must execute it.)
- Anh ấy đã lấy vợ, ván đã đóng thuyền, cô ấy nên quên anh đi. (He is already married, what's done is done, she should forget him.)
- Dự án đã khởi công, ván đã đóng thuyền, không thể dừng lại được nữa. (The project has broken ground, the wood is already a boat, it cannot be stopped anymore.)
Advanced Usage
- This idiom is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture and literature. Its most famous reference is from the epic poem by Nguyễn Du, describing the fate of the heroine Thúy Kiều after she was sold into marriage, signifying an irreversible change in her life's course.
- It is used in formal, literary, and everyday contexts to solemnly acknowledge a final, unalterable situation.
Variants and Related Words
- Đã rồi (phrase): An informal phrase meaning "It's already done" or "Too late now," conveying a similar, though less figurative, sense of finality.
- Thôi, đã rồi, đừng nói nữa. (Well, it's done, don't say any more.)
Synonyms
- The point of no return: A situation from which one cannot go back to the previous state.
- Irreversible: Not able to be changed or reversed.
- In for a penny, in for a pound: Being committed to seeing a course of action through, however much it costs.
Related Idioms
- Nước đã đổ đi khó lấy lại: Literally "Spilled water is hard to retrieve," similar to the English idiom "Don't cry over spilled milk." It advises against regretting what cannot be changed.
- Đừng buồn nữa, nước đã đổ đi khó lấy lại. (Don't be sad anymore, there's no use crying over spilled milk.)
- Cơm đã chín tới: Literally "The rice is already cooked," meaning a situation is finalized or a matter is settled.
- Mọi thứ đã quyết định, cơm đã chín tới rồi. (Everything has been decided, the rice is already cooked.)