Definition

1. Noun:
   • Feudal intellectual; scholar-gentleman: A person from the feudal era who was educated, cultivated, and upheld a strong moral code and sense of social responsibility. This term specifically refers to the traditional scholarly class in Vietnam, who were expected to guide society through their learning and virtue.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhiều sĩ phu yêu nước đã lãnh đạo các phong trào cải cách. (Many patriotic sĩ phu led reform movements.)
  • Tư tưởng của các bậc sĩ phu có ảnh hưởng sâu sắc đến xã hội Việt Nam xưa. (The ideas of the sĩ phu class had a profound influence on traditional Vietnamese society.)

Advanced Usage

• The term sĩ phu carries a connotation of moral integrity and a duty to serve the people and the nation, beyond just being an educated person. It implies a Confucian ideal of the scholar who cultivates himself to order the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.
  • Lý tưởng của một sĩ phu chân chính là "tu thân, tề gia, trị quốc, bình thiên hạ". (The ideal of a true sĩ phu is "to cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.")

Variants and Related Words

• Trí thức (n): Intellectual. A modern, broader term for an educated person, without the specific feudal and moral connotations of .
  • Giới trí thức đóng góp quan trọng cho sự phát triển đất nước. (The intellectual class makes important contributions to the country's development.)
• Nho sĩ (n): Confucian scholar. A more specific term for a scholar educated in the Confucian classics, often synonymous with in historical context.
  • Các nho sĩ thường dùng thơ văn để bày tỏ chí hướng. (Confucian scholars often used poetry to express their aspirations.)

Synonyms

• Nhà nho: Confucian scholar; literati.
• Kẻ sĩ: (Archaic) A scholar; an educated man of principle.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Tinh thần sĩ phu: The spirit of the scholar-gentleman. Refers to the ideals of moral courage, loyalty, and responsibility associated with the class.
  • Tinh thần sĩ phu thể hiện qua lòng yêu nước và sự gương mẫu về đạo đức. (The sĩ phu spirit is manifested in patriotism and moral exemplarity.)
• Hào khí sĩ phu: The noble spirit/mettle of the scholar-gentleman. Emphasizes the courageous and righteous aspect.
  • Bài thơ toát lên hào khí sĩ phu của tác giả. (The poem radiates the author's sĩ phu mettle.)

noun

1. feudal intellectual