mặc khách
Definition
- Noun (Archaic):
- A literati; a scholar: An old, literary term used to refer to a learned person, a man of letters, or a refined scholar, often one who is engaged in literary or artistic pursuits.
- A refined guest: In classical contexts, it can denote a guest of cultured and scholarly demeanor.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong buổi họp mặt, các mặc khách cùng nhau ngâm thơ. (At the gathering, the literati recited poetry together.)
- Tao nhân mặc khách thường tụ tập bên hồ. (Poets and scholars often gathered by the lake.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively found in classical or literary Vietnamese and is rarely used in modern everyday speech. It often carries a connotation of elegance, erudition, and a leisurely engagement with the arts.
Variants and Related Words
- Tao nhân mặc khách (n): A fixed, classical phrase meaning "poets and scholars" or "literary gentlemen," referring to a circle or community of cultured individuals.
Synonyms
- Scholar: A learned person.
- Literati: People interested in literature.
- Man of letters: A person devoted to literary or scholarly pursuits.
Related Idioms
- While not a standalone idiom, the phrase "tao nhân mặc khách" functions as a classical idiom itself, evoking the image of a bygone era of scholarly elegance and literary camaraderie.