Xông

Xông is a Vietnamese verb with several related senses tied to movement through air or heat, and to initiating action or ritual. Its meaning varies by context and it appears in compounds such as xông hơi, xông hương, and xông đất.

In everyday use, xông hơi refers to exposing the body to hot steam for sweating or relaxation, as in a sauna or steam bath. Xông hương denotes fumigating or perfuming a space with incense smoke to cleanse or bless a room or household.

Xông đất (also xông nhà) is a traditional practice on the first day of the Vietnamese lunar new year, where a guest is invited to enter the house first to bring good fortune for the year. Practices and timing vary by region and family, but the ritual is largely symbolic.

In other contexts, xông means to move forward quickly or to burst into a place. In phrases such as xông lên or xông vào, it conveys bold or forceful action, and may describe a literal charge in a competition or battle, or a metaphorical start of an endeavor.

Xông as a broader semantic field thus covers physical heat and smoke, cleansing or blessing rituals, and dynamic action in social or combat contexts.