trúc mai

Vietnamese

FWOTD – 19 October 2023

Alternative forms

• (Southern Vietnam, obsolete) trước mai

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 竹たけ (“bamboo”) and 梅うめ (“plum, apricot”).

See also thanh mai trúc mã.

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕʊwk͡p̚˧˦ maːj˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˧˥ maːj˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʈʊwk͡p̚˦˥ maːj˧˧]

Noun

trúc mai

1. (archaic, literary, figurative) an intimate bond
   • 15th century, Nguyễn Trãi, “自じ述じゅつ Tự thuật 8”, in Quốc âm thi tập (國くに音おん詩集ししゅう):

     𫫵猿さる鶴づる嗔方解かい俗ぞく
     眷竹たけ梅うめ結ゆい伴とも知音ちいん

     Rủ vượn hạc, xin phương giải tục,
     Quyến trúc mai, kết bạn tri âm.

     Invited the monkey and the crane, to ask them how to detach myself from worldly matters,
     Sought the bamboo and the plum, to make a friend who could share my thoughts.