huyền thuyết
Definition
- Noun:
- Legend; Myth: A story or set of stories, often idealized and passed down through generations, about a particular historical period, person, nation, or event. These stories may not be historically accurate but are believed and used to explain cultural origins, values, or identity.
- Myth; Mythologized Idea: A simplified, often idealized or illusory, popular conception of a person, people, or situation that is accepted uncritically and used as a basis for judgment or action, despite being distant from truth or reality.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The prosperity in the region still temporarily controlled by the puppet government is just a myth.
- The legend of Phù Đổng Thiên Vương is a famous Vietnamese legend.
- The aloofness and coldness of the British is a myth.
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used in academic or critical discourse to describe an idealized but inaccurate historical narrative.
- Many scholars argue that the concept of a "golden age" is often a political myth.
Variants and Related Words
- Truyền thuyết (n): Legend, folklore. Often used more specifically for traditional folk narratives.
- "Truyền thuyết về Hồ Gươm" is a famous legend.
- Thần thoại (n): Mythology; myth (often involving gods and supernatural beings).
- Thần thoại Hy Lạp (Greek mythology).
Synonyms
- Legend: A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not verifiable.
- Myth: A widely held but false belief or idea; a traditional story involving supernatural beings or events.
- Fable: A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.
- Folklore: The traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community.
Related Idioms
- Huyền thoại (n): This is a near-synonym often used interchangeably in modern Vietnamese, especially to refer to a legendary, almost mythical person.
- Anh ấy là một huyền thoại bóng đá. (He is a football legend.)