Definition

1. Noun:
   • Priest, Monk: A person who has renounced ordinary secular life to live according to the rules and discipline of a religion, often within a specific religious community. This term is commonly used in the context of Buddhism and other Eastern religions to refer to ordained male religious practitioners.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Các thầy tu đang tụng kinh trong chùa. (The monks are chanting sutras in the pagoda.)
  • Ông ấy quyết định trở thành một thầy tu. (He decided to become a priest/monk.)
  • Thầy tu đó sống một cuộc đời rất giản dị và thanh tịnh. (That monk lives a very simple and pure life.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "thầy tu" is a general and respectful term. Its specific meaning (e.g., Buddhist monk, Taoist priest) is often clarified by the religious context (e.g., - pagoda, - zen monastery).
• It can sometimes be used more broadly to describe any person who leads a devout, ascetic, or religiously disciplined life, even if not formally ordained.

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà sư (n): A more specific term for a Buddhist monk.

  • Vị nhà sư đó rất được kính trọng. (That Buddhist monk is highly respected.)

• Tu sĩ (n): A more formal and general term for a religious cleric or ascetic, applicable across religions.

  • Các tu sĩ của nhiều tôn giáo cùng tham dự hội nghị. (Clerics from many religions attended the conference.)

Synonyms

• Monk: A member of a religious community of men living under vows.
• Priest: An ordained minister of a religion, especially one who performs rituals.
• Cleric: A religious leader or official.
• Ascetic: A person who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from indulgence for religious reasons.

Related Idioms

• Sống như thầy tu: To live like a monk (i.e., to live a very simple, austere, or celibate life).
  • Kể từ khi nghỉ hưu, ông ấy sống như thầy tu. (Since retiring, he has lived like a monk.)

noun

1. priest, monk