mệnh

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

  • mịnh

Etymology

    Sino-Vietnamese word from 命; this is the Northern form. Doublet of mạng, the Southern form.

    Pronunciation

    • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [məjŋ̟˧˨ʔ]
    • (Huế) IPA(key): [men˨˩ʔ]
    • (Saigon) IPA(key): [məːn˨˩˨]

    Noun

    mệnh

    1. (uncommon) life
      Synonym: mạng
    2. (rare, literary) fate
      Synonyms: vận mệnh, số mệnh
      Mệnh trời khó cưỡng.
      It's not easy to resist fate / the Mandate of Heaven.
    3. (archaic or Chinese fiction) order from the monarch
      Synonym: mệnh lệnh
      Tuân mệnh/lệnh/chỉ!
      Roger! / As you wish, my liege!
    4. (occult) the wuxing element you're associated with, which dictates your luck and the kind of people you can get along with
      Mệnh hoả không hạp với mệnh thuỷ.
      "Fire people" don't get along with "water people".

    Derived terms

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