định tỉnh
Definition
- Verb:
- To care for one's parents morning and evening: The primary meaning of "định tỉnh" is the act of attending to and looking after one's parents diligently, specifically during the early morning and evening times. It implies a daily, devoted filial duty.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Là con cả, anh ấy luôn định tỉnh chu đáo. (As the eldest son, he always cares for his parents diligently morning and evening.)
- Phận làm con, định tỉnh là bổn phận thiêng liêng. (As a child, caring for one's parents morning and evening is a sacred duty.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is classical and literary, deeply rooted in Confucian values of filial piety ("hiếu thảo"). It is rarely used in modern everyday conversation but may appear in formal, philosophical, or literary contexts discussing traditional family roles.
Variants and Related Words
- Hiếu thảo (adj): filial, pious. Describes the quality of being devoted to one's parents.
- Phụng dưỡng (v): to support and care for (one's parents). A more common modern term for providing for parents.
Synonyms
- To attend to one's parents: to look after or care for parents.
- To minister to: to provide care or service, often in a devoted manner.
Notes on Meaning
- The term "định tỉnh" is archaic. Its core concept is the ritualized, attentive care for parents as a fundamental expression of respect and obligation in traditional Vietnamese culture. It emphasizes consistency and devotion at specific, important times of day.