cất mả

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The Vietnamese word "cất mả" refers to the act of removing the remains of a deceased person from one grave and relocating them to another grave. This process is often done for various reasons, such as family wishes, relocation of burial sites, or traditional rituals. Here’s a detailed explanation:

Basic Meaning

• Definition: "Cất mả" means to exhume and move someone's remains to another grave.
• Usage: This term is typically used in contexts related to funerals, burial practices, and family discussions about the deceased.

Example Sentences

1. Simple Example: "Gia đình quyết định cất mả ông nội để đưa về quê."

   • Translation: "The family decided to move grandfather's remains back to his hometown."

2. Complex Example: "Trong văn hóa Việt Nam, việc cất mả thường được thực hiện khi gia đình muốn thay đổi nơi an nghỉ cho người đã khuất."

   • Translation: "In Vietnamese culture, exhuming remains is often done when the family wants to change the resting place of the deceased."

Advanced Usage

• In some cases, "cất mả" might also refer to the broader concept of respecting and honoring the deceased by ensuring they are laid to rest in a more suitable or desired location.
• It can be part of a discussion about family traditions, ancestral worship, or changes in burial laws.

Word Variants

• Cất: This part of the phrase can also mean "to put away" or "to store," but in this context, it specifically relates to the act of moving remains.
• Mả: This word means "grave" or "tomb." It can also be used in other contexts related to burial sites.

Different Meanings

• While primarily used to refer to the relocation of remains, in some contexts, "cất mả" may metaphorically relate to changing one’s resting place or situation in life, although this usage is less common.

Synonyms

• Exhumation: The act of digging up a grave to remove remains.
• Di chuyển hài cốt: Literally means "to move the bones," which can be used interchangeably with "cất mả" in certain contexts.

Cultural Context

In Vietnamese culture, the act of moving remains is often accompanied by rituals and ceremonies that honor the deceased, reflecting the importance of ancestor worship and maintaining family ties even after death.

Academic

1. To remove remains of a dead person (from one grave to another), to exhume and move (someone's remains) to another grave