Definition

Noun: * A talented and virtuous man, especially a Confucian scholar or intellectual known for both moral integrity and learning. This term is often used in historical or literary contexts to refer to a wise and ethical gentleman.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong lịch sử Việt Nam, có nhiều hiền sĩ đã đóng góp lớn cho đất nước. (In Vietnamese history, many talented and virtuous men contributed greatly to the country.)
  • Ông ấy không chỉ là một nhà thơ mà còn được kính trọng như một hiền sĩ. (He is not only a poet but also respected as a wise and virtuous scholar.)

Advanced Usage

• The term hiền sĩ carries a classical, literary nuance and is rarely used in modern everyday conversation. It evokes an ideal from Confucian tradition, combining wisdom (hiền - gentle, virtuous, wise) with scholarly attainment (sĩ - scholar, intellectual).

Variants and Related Words

• Hiền nhân (noun): A virtuous person, a sage. This term emphasizes moral character slightly more than scholarly achievement.
• Nho sĩ (noun): A Confucian scholar. This term focuses more on the scholarly and doctrinal aspect rather than the inherent moral virtue implied by hiền sĩ.
• Trí thức (noun): An intellectual. This is the modern, general term without the specific moral or historical connotations of hiền sĩ.

Synonyms

• Bậc hiền triết: A wise philosopher, a sage.
• Người quân tử: A gentleman (in the Confucian sense), a man of virtue.

Related Idioms

• Hiền tài là nguyên khí quốc gia: (Idiom) "Virtuous and talented people are the vital spirit of the nation." This famous saying underscores the high value placed on individuals who embody the qualities of a hiền sĩ.

noun

1. talented and virtous man