Definition

1. Noun:
   • A Confucian scholar or student: In historical and literary contexts, 'nho sinh' refers to a student or scholar who studied Confucian classics and philosophy. The term is now considered archaic or literary.
   • A learned person, an intellectual (in a classical sense): It can also denote a person of traditional learning and cultivation.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, các nho sinh thường ôn thi để tham gia các kỳ thi khoa cử. (In feudal society, Confucian students often studied to participate in imperial examinations.)
  • Hình ảnh nho sinh với áo the, khăn xếp đã trở thành biểu tượng của một thời kỳ. (The image of a Confucian scholar with a traditional gown and turban has become a symbol of an era.)

Advanced Usage

• The term 'nho sinh' is primarily used in historical, literary, or formal contexts to evoke the traditional scholarly class of Vietnam or China. It is not used in contemporary, everyday language to refer to modern students.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà nho (n): A Confucian scholar; a term for a person deeply learned in Confucianism, often used interchangeably with 'nho sinh' but can imply a higher level of mastery or age.
• Nho học (n): Confucian learning or studies.
• Nho giáo (n): Confucianism.

Synonyms

• Học trò (n): Student, pupil (a more general and modern term).
• Sĩ tử (n): Candidate, scholar (specifically one taking imperial exams; also archaic/literary).

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of 'nho sinh' is intrinsically linked to the Confucian scholarly tradition. It is not simply a synonym for "student" ('sinh viên', 'học sinh') in a modern educational system. Its usage immediately places the subject in a historical or classical framework.

1. (cũ) Student