phóng sinh
Vietnamese edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Sino-Vietnamese word from 放生, composed of 放 (“to release”) and 生 (“life”)
Pronunciation edit
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [fawŋ͡m˧˦ sïŋ˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [fawŋ͡m˦˧˥ ʂɨn˧˧] ~ [fɔŋ˦˧˥ sɨn˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [fawŋ͡m˦˥ ʂɨn˧˧] ~ [fawŋ͡m˦˥ sɨn˧˧]
Verb edit
Usage notes edit
- phóng sinh means "to release captive animals into the wild," but this is done symbolically for good fortune nowadays rather than for genuine purposes in good faith. Buddhist enthusiasts often buy, usually preemptively caged pigeons, and "release" them into the wild. "Releasing" carp to provide one's Kitchen God with a "ride to heaven" (Kitchen Gods are thought to ride carp to heaven) before Lunar New Year could also be considered phóng sinh.