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Words Used in Vietnamese Traditional Festivals

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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… hแป™i, which translates to “festival.” This word is essential as it is used to describe any festival, whether religious or secular.

Lแป… hแป™i ฤ‘แปn Hรนng diแป…n ra vร o thรกng Tฦฐ. (The Hung Temple Festival occurs in April.)

Another fundamental word is รขm lแป‹ch, meaning “lunar calendar.” Most Vietnamese traditional festivals are based on the lunar calendar.

Hรดm nay lร  ngร y mรนng 5 รขm lแป‹ch. (Today is the 5th day of the lunar calendar.)

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Specific Festival Names

Tแบฟt Nguyรชn ฤรกn, often simply called Tแบฟt, is the Vietnamese Lunar New Year and is perhaps the most significant festival in Vietnam.

Tแบฟt Nguyรชn ฤรกn lร  dแป‹p ฤ‘แปƒ gia ฤ‘รฌnh 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 nฤƒm nay cรณ nhiแปu ฤ‘รจn lแป“ng ฤ‘แบนp. (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 vฤƒn nghแป‡ vแป›i cรกc bแบกn ฤ‘แบฟn tแปซ cรกc tแป‰nh khรกc. (We will have cultural exchanges with friends from other provinces.)

Rฦฐแป›c kiแป‡u refers to the palanquin procession, a common sight in many religious festivals.

Rฦฐแป›c kiแป‡u ฤ‘i qua cรกc ngรต nhแป cแปงa lร ng. (The palanquin procession goes through the village’s small alleys.)

Thi ฤ‘แบฅu means “to compete,” generally referring to traditional games and sports competitions held during the festivals.

Ngร y mai sแบฝ cรณ thi ฤ‘แบฅu 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 ฤ‘ฦฐแปฃc gรณi trong lรก chuแป‘i. (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 ฤ‘ang 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 ฤ‘แปn 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 ฤ‘รฌnh 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. ฤรจn lแป“ng are lanterns that adorn streets and homes.

ฤรจn lแป“ng ฤ‘ฦฐแปฃc treo khแบฏp phแป‘ phฦฐแปng 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 ฤ‘แปn cรณ khแบฏc cรขu ฤ‘แป‘i ฤ‘แบนp. (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.

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