xem lễ
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To attend mass: The primary meaning of "xem lễ" is to be present at and participate in a Catholic Mass or a formal Christian religious service.
- To go to church (for a service): It commonly refers to the act of going to a church specifically to observe or take part in a liturgical ceremony.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Gia đình tôi xem lễ vào mỗi sáng Chủ nhật. (My family attends mass every Sunday morning.)
- Bà ứcó thói quen xem lễ ở nhà thờ chính tòa. (She has a habit of going to mass at the cathedral.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase "xem lễ" is almost exclusively used in the context of Christian, particularly Catholic, worship. It is not typically used for attending services in Buddhist pagodas or other non-Christian religious ceremonies.
Variants and Related Words
Đi lễ (v): to go to a religious service. This is a more general synonym.
- Họ đi lễ ở chùa. (They go to a service at the pagoda.)
Dự lễ (v): to attend a ceremony. This can be used for both religious and secular ceremonies.
- Chúng tôi dự lễ tốt nghiệp. (We attended the graduation ceremony.)
Synonyms
- Attend mass: To be present at a Eucharistic service.
- Go to church: To go to a church for a religious service.
Related Idioms
- Đi xem lễ về hát bội: An idiom suggesting hypocrisy or inconsistent behavior, literally "to go to mass and return to sing classical drama" (which was sometimes considered frivolous).
- Hắn nói đạo đức nhưng hành động lại khác, đúng là đi xem lễ về hát bội. (He talks about morality but acts differently, it's like going to mass and then coming home to sing drama.)