Definition

1. Noun:
   • The match-maker: In Vietnamese folk belief, "ông tơ" is a mythical old man, often depicted with a red thread, who is responsible for predestining and connecting the romantic fates of couples. He is the personification of destiny in love and marriage.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Người ta tin rằng ông tơ đã se duyên cho họ. (People believe the match-maker predestined their marriage.)
  • Cô ấy vẫn đang chờ ông tơ se chỉ hồng. (She is still waiting for the match-maker to tie the red thread.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept is often used in literary and poetic contexts to refer to the force or fate behind a romantic relationship.
  • Mối duyên này chắc hẳn do ông tơ sắp đặt. (This romance must have been arranged by the match-maker.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bà Nguyệt (n): Often paired with "ông tơ" as "ông tơ bà nguyệt," referring to the match-making moon goddess who works with the old man to create marriages.
• Se duyên (v): to predestine a marriage, to act as a match-maker (the action attributed to "ông tơ").

Synonyms

• Match-maker: A person who arranges or facilitates marriages.
• Cupid: The Roman god of love who causes people to fall in love (a Western cultural equivalent).
• Fate (in love): The destiny that controls romantic connections.

Related Idioms

• Ông tơ bà nguyệt: Refers collectively to the celestial match-making pair in folklore.
  • Nhờ ông tơ bà nguyệt mà họ gặp nhau. (Thanks to the celestial match-makers, they met each other.)
• Se chỉ hồng: To tie the red thread (of fate); the action of "ông tơ" connecting two souls.
  • Hạnh phúc của họ bắt đầu khi ông tơ se chỉ hồng. (Their happiness began when the match-maker tied the red thread.)

1. The match-maker