Vietnamese traditional festivals are a vibrant tapestry of culture and history, rich with unique customs, rituals, and language. They are not only a time for celebration but also an opportunity for language learners to immerse themselves in the Vietnamese language through specific vocabulary associated with these cultural events. Understanding these terms can provide deeper insights into the festivities and enhance communication with locals during these significant occasions.
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General Terms
One of the first terms you’ll encounter is Lแป hแปi, which translates to “festival.” This word is essential as it is used to describe any festival, whether religious or secular.
Lแป hแปi ฤแปn Hรนng diแป n ra vร o thรกng Tฦฐ. (The Hung Temple Festival occurs in April.)
Another fundamental word is รขm lแปch, meaning “lunar calendar.” Most Vietnamese traditional festivals are based on the lunar calendar.
Hรดm nay lร ngร y mรนng 5 รขm lแปch. (Today is the 5th day of the lunar calendar.)
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Specific Festival Names
Tแบฟt Nguyรชn ฤรกn, often simply called Tแบฟt, is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and is perhaps the most significant festival in Vietnam.
Tแบฟt Nguyรชn ฤรกn lร dแปp ฤแป gia ฤรฌnh quรขy quแบงn bรชn nhau. (Tet Nguyen Dan is a time for families to gather together.)
Tแบฟt Trung Thu is the Mid-Autumn Festival, another important celebration especially for children.
Tแบฟt Trung Thu nฤm nay cรณ nhiแปu ฤรจn lแปng ฤแบนp. (This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival has many beautiful lanterns.)
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Festival Activities
During festivals, several key activities take place, each with its own set of vocabulary. Giao lฦฐu means “to exchange” and is often used to describe cultural exchanges such as singing, dancing, or games.
Chรบng ta sแบฝ giao lฦฐu vฤn nghแป vแปi cรกc bแบกn ฤแบฟn tแปซ cรกc tแปnh khรกc. (We will have cultural exchanges with friends from other provinces.)
Rฦฐแปc kiแปu refers to the palanquin procession, a common sight in many religious festivals.
Rฦฐแปc kiแปu ฤi qua cรกc ngรต nhแป cแปงa lร ng. (The palanquin procession goes through the village’s small alleys.)
Thi ฤแบฅu means “to compete,” generally referring to traditional games and sports competitions held during the festivals.
Ngร y mai sแบฝ cรณ thi ฤแบฅu kรฉo co. (Tomorrow there will be a tug-of-war competition.)
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Festival Foods
No Vietnamese festival would be complete without its special dishes. Bรกnh chฦฐng and bรกnh dร y are traditional cakes made of glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork, typically eaten during Tแบฟt.
Bรกnh chฦฐng ฤฦฐแปฃc gรณi trong lรก chuแปi. (Banh chung is wrapped in banana leaves.)
Bรกnh trรดi and bรกnh chay are glutinous rice balls served during Tแบฟt Hร n Thแปฑc, also known as Cold Food Festival.
Mแบน tรดi ฤang lร m bรกnh trรดi cho ngร y Tแบฟt Hร n Thแปฑc. (My mother is making banh troi for the Cold Food Festival.)
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Religious Practices
Religious practices are central to many Vietnamese festivals. Lแป bรกi means “worship ceremony,” which is an essential part of these events.
Lแป bรกi tแบกi ฤแปn thแป tแป tiรชn rแบฅt trang nghiรชm. (The worship ceremony at the ancestral temple is very solemn.)
Cรบng refers to the act of making offerings to deities or ancestors.
Gia ฤรฌnh tรดi cรบng hoa quแบฃ vร vร ng mรฃ. (My family offers fruits and votive papers.)
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Decorations
Festivals also involve a lot of decorations, which have their own vocabulary. ฤรจn lแปng are lanterns that adorn streets and homes.
ฤรจn lแปng ฤฦฐแปฃc treo khแบฏp phแป phฦฐแปng cho Tแบฟt Trung Thu. (Lanterns are hung all around the streets for the Mid-Autumn Festival.)
Hoร nh phi are horizontal lacquered boards engraved with Chinese characters, often seen in temples.
Hoร nh phi trong ฤแปn cรณ khแบฏc cรขu ฤแปi ฤแบนp. (The horizontal lacquered boards in the temple are engraved with beautiful couplets.)
By familiarizing yourself with these terms and phrases, you can gain a more authentic understanding and appreciation of Vietnamese traditional festivals. This vocabulary not only enhances your language skills but also deepens your cultural insight, making your experience of these vibrant celebrations even more enriching.