Definition

Verb: - To attend and participate in the ceremonial meal held on the death anniversary of a deceased person. This is a traditional Vietnamese ritual to honor and remember the departed, involving family members gathering for a commemorative feast.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cả gia đình tụ họp về quê để ăn giỗ ông nội. (The whole family gathers in the hometown to attend the death anniversary feast for our grandfather.)
  • Hôm nay là ngày giỗ cụ, mọi người đều đến ăn giỗ đông đủ. (Today is the ancestor's death anniversary, everyone has come to attend the commemorative meal in full attendance.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase implies more than just eating; it encompasses the entire act of participating in the death anniversary rites and the family reunion it represents.
• It is often associated with filial piety and maintaining a connection with one's ancestors.

Variants and Related Words

• Làm giỗ (v): to host/organize a death anniversary ceremony and feast.
  • Năm nay, bác cả sẽ đứng ra làm giỗ cho cụ. (This year, the eldest uncle will be the one to host the death anniversary for our ancestor.)
• Cỗ giỗ (n): the specific feast or spread of food prepared for the death anniversary.
  • Cỗ giỗ năm nay rất thịnh soạn. (The feast for this year's death anniversary is very sumptuous.)

Synonyms

• Commemorate a death anniversary: To observe the yearly recurrence of a person's death.
• Attend a memorial feast: To be present at the meal held in memory of someone.

Related Cultural Notes

• "Ăn giỗ" is a key part of the "ngày giỗ" (death anniversary) tradition. It is a solemn but often warm family occasion where stories about the deceased are shared.
• While it involves a feast, the primary focus is on remembrance and honoring the ancestor's memory, not merely on the food.

verb

1. to celebrate the anniversary of someone's death