Thức was born in 1927. Thức's father was Soạn and his mother was Thanh Nguyễn như. His paternal grandparents were Huyên and Ruẩn Trần. He had three brothers and seven sisters, named Ấp, Thao, Quyên, Đạm, Tiềm, Nhuận, Uông, Tân, Loan and Ty. He was the third youngest of the eleven children.