điển tích

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 典 (“classical book”) and 跡 (“trace; deed”). See also Chinese 典故 (diǎngù, “allusion to classical tales”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɗiən˧˩ tïk̟̚˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɗiəŋ˧˨ tɨt̚˦˧˥]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [ʔɗiəŋ˨˩˦ tɨt̚˦˥]

Noun

điển tích

1. a tale of old happenings, often the basis of sayings or moral lessons

   Synonym: điển cố