Definition

1. Noun:
   • Yết hậu verse: In traditional Vietnamese poetry, specifically in regulated verse forms like Đường luật, a yết hậu is a poem in which the final line is intentionally shorter than the preceding lines. It typically consists of only one or two syllables (or "feet"), creating a sudden, abrupt, and often witty or emphatic conclusion.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Thể thơ yết hậu thường tạo ra kết thúc bất ngờ và sâu sắc. (The yết hậu verse form often creates a surprising and profound ending.)
  • Bài thơ này có cấu trúc yết hậu, với câu cuối chỉ vỏn vẹn hai chữ. (This poem has a yết hậu structure, with the last line consisting of merely two words.)

Advanced Usage

• The technique is a deliberate stylistic device used to break the established rhythmic pattern, aiming to shock the reader, deliver a punchline, or emphasize a poignant final thought. Its effect relies on the contrast with the regular meter of the earlier lines.

Variants and Related Words

• Thơ Đường luật (n): Regulated verse, a strict classical Chinese poetic form adapted into Vietnamese, within which the is a recognized variation.
• Câu thơ (n): A line of poetry.
• Vần (n): Rhyme.

Synonyms

• Truncated final line (descriptive synonym).
• Abbreviated conclusion (descriptive synonym).

Related Concepts

• Poetic meter: The rhythmic structure of a verse.
• Poetic license: The deviation from standard rules for artistic effect, which the form exemplifies.