lập thân
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To establish oneself, to build one's life/career: The process of striving, cultivating oneself, and studying to become a capable and virtuous person, thereby creating a stable position and future in society.
- To become a person of substance: To develop one's character and abilities to become a respectable and accomplished individual.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Thanh niên cần phải biết lập thân. (Young people need to know how to establish themselves.)
- Ông ấy đã lập thân từ hai bàn tay trắng. (He built his life/career from nothing.)
- Lập thân là mục tiêu quan trọng của tuổi trẻ. (Establishing oneself is an important goal for youth.)
Advanced Usage
"Tự lập thân": To establish oneself independently, through one's own efforts.
- Anh ta là tấm gương tự lập thân đáng ngưỡng mộ. (He is an admirable example of self-made success.)
"Con đường lập thân": The path to building one's life and career.
- Học đại học là một con đường lập thân phổ biến. (Going to university is a common path to establishing oneself.)
Variants and Related Words
Lập nghiệp (Verb phrase): To establish a career or business. This focuses more on professional establishment.
- Sau khi tốt nghiệp, anh ấy về quê lập nghiệp. (After graduating, he returned to his hometown to start his career.)
Tu thân (Verb phrase): To cultivate oneself morally. This is a key component of "lập thân".
- Tu thân, tề gia, trị quốc, bình thiên hạ. (Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world.)
Synonyms
- Tạo dựng sự nghiệp: To build a career.
- Xây dựng cuộc đời: To build one's life.
Related Phrases
- Lập thân lập nghiệp: A common paired phrase meaning to establish oneself and build a career.
- Thanh niên phải có chí lập thân lập nghiệp. (Young people must have the will to establish themselves and build careers.)
Related Idioms
- "Trai thời trung hiếu làm đầu / Gái thời tiết hạnh làm câu lập thân.": An old saying: "For men, loyalty and filial piety come first / For women, chastity and virtue are the means to establish themselves." (Note: This reflects traditional values.)
- "Lập thân tối hạ thị văn chương": (A classical reference) "The most humble way to establish oneself is through literature/learning." This emphasizes the role of education and cultivation.