thuỷ chung

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• thủy chung

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 始終 (“from the beginning to the end”), but effectively simply a literary anagram of chung thuỷ (“maritally loyal”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tʰwi˧˩ t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [tʰwɪj˧˨ t͡ɕʊwŋ͡m˧˧]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [tʰ⁽ʷ⁾ɪj˨˩˦ cʊwŋ͡m˧˧]

Adjective

thuỷ chung

1. (literary) Synonym of chung thuỷ (“maritally faithful”)
2. (literary) affectionately faithful like a married couple
   • 1954, Tố Hữu, “Việt Bắc”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     Ta về, mình có nhớ ta
     Ta về ta nhớ những hoa cùng người
     Rừng xanh hoa chuối đỏ tươi
     Ðèo cao nắng ánh dao gài thắt lưng.
     Ngày xuân mơ nở trắng rừng
     Nhớ người đan nón chuốt từng sợi giang
     Ve kêu rừng phách đổ vàng
     Nhớ cô em gái hái măng một mình
     Rừng thu trăng rọi hoà bình
     Nhớ ai tiếng hát ân tình thuỷ chung.

     When I leave, will you miss me?
     When I leave, I'll miss the flowers and the people.
     The green woods, the crimson banana flowers,
     The high passes, the sunlight sparkling on the knives hung onto belts.
     Plum blossoms bloom in spring, whitening the whole woods.
     I'll miss the hat winnower who's meticulous with every thread.
     As the cicadas sing, the phach trees turn golden.
     I'll miss the maiden who harvests bamboo shoots alone.
     The moon shines over the autumnal woods in this time of peace.
     I'll miss that someone with the ever so faithful endearing song.

Adverb

thuỷ chung

1. (literary) Synonym of chung thuỷ (“with fidelity”)
2. (literary) affectionately faithfully like being married