thánh sống
Definition
- Noun:
- A living saint: A person who is revered as if they were a saint due to their extraordinary virtue, moral purity, kindness, or self-sacrifice. This term emphasizes their saintly qualities being demonstrated in the present life.
- A genius / a master (colloquial, figurative): In modern, informal usage, it refers to a person with an exceptional, almost superhuman talent or skill in a specific field (e.g., sports, academics, gaming). This usage expresses extreme admiration and hyperbole.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mẹ Teresa được nhiều người xem như một vị thánh sống. (Mother Teresa was seen by many as a living saint.)
- Cô ấy kiên nhẫn và bao dung với mọi người, đúng là một thánh sống. (She is patient and forgiving towards everyone, truly a living saint.)
- Anh ấy giải được bài toán đó trong 5 phút? Anh ấy đúng là thánh sống của lớp toán! (He solved that math problem in 5 minutes? He is truly the math genius of the class!)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in informal praise and can be slightly humorous or exaggerated, even in its more serious application. It is rarely used in formal religious contexts.
- It can be used as a term of direct address in a teasing or admiring way among friends.
- Ê, thánh sống ơi, chỉ tui cách làm với! (Hey, oh master, show me how to do it!)
Variants and Related Words
- Thánh (n): saint; (slang) a master, an expert.
- Ông ấy được phong thánh. (He was canonized as a saint.)
- Hắn là thánh sửa máy tính. (He is a computer repair wizard.)
Synonyms
- Paragon of virtue: A person viewed as a perfect example of a particular quality.
- Modern-day saint: A contemporary person exhibiting saintly qualities.
- Genius / Prodigy / Virtuoso (for the figurative sense): A person with exceptional natural ability.
Related Idioms
- Sống như thánh: To live like a saint; to live an exceptionally virtuous or ascetic life.
- Ông cụ sống giản dị, giúp đỡ mọi người, ai cũng bảo ông sống như thánh. (The old man lives simply, helping everyone; people say he lives like a saint.)