Definition

1. Noun (archaic):
   • Virtuous people; benevolent persons: Refers to individuals of high moral character, kindness, and compassion. This term often denotes a Confucian ideal of a person who embodies "nhân" (benevolence, humanity).
   • The world; mortal life (obsolete meaning): An older, less common meaning referring to the human world or earthly existence.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • "Nhân giả vô địch." (The benevolent person has no enemies.)
  • "Cổ nhân thường nói: 'Nhân giả ái nhân'." (The ancients often said: 'The benevolent person loves others'.)
  • "Trong tư tưởng Nho giáo, nhân giả là mẫu người lý tưởng." (In Confucian thought, the virtuous person is the ideal human model.)

Advanced Usage

• "Nhân giả nhân": A classical phrase meaning "The benevolent person loves people." It encapsulates the core Confucian virtue.
  • "Đạo Khổng Tử dạy: 'Nhân giả nhân'." (Confucius's teaching states: 'The benevolent person loves people'.)
• Used in classical and philosophical texts to contrast with other types of people (e.g., "trí giả" - the wise person, "dũng giả" - the brave person).

Variants and Related Words

• Nhân (仁): The root noun meaning "benevolence," "humanity," or "compassion." "Nhân giả" is the person who possesses "nhân."
• Nhân từ (adj): Kind, benevolent, merciful.
  • "Ông ấy là một người nhân từ." (He is a kind person.)
• Bác ái (n): Charity, philanthropy (a related concept of universal love, sometimes used in different philosophical or religious contexts).

Synonyms

• Người nhân đức: Virtuous, benevolent person.
• Người nhân hậu: Kind-hearted person.
• Người từ bi (often Buddhist context): Compassionate person.

Notes on Usage

• Register: This is a formal, literary, and archaic term. It is almost exclusively found in classical Vietnamese literature, philosophical discussions (especially Confucianism), and historical texts. It is rarely used in modern everyday conversation.
• Meaning Focus: In contemporary understanding and usage, the primary meaning is "virtuous/benevolent person." The older meaning of "the world" is now considered obsolete and is not active in modern Vietnamese.

1. (cũ) Virtuous people