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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