thế nhân
Definition
- Noun (Literary / Classical):
- People of the world / ordinary people: Refers to common humanity, the multitude of people living in the secular world, often with a connotation of their mundane concerns, fleeting lives, and worldly affairs. It carries a philosophical or poetic tone, contrasting with enlightened or transcendent beings.
- Mortal beings: Emphasizes the transient, earthly nature of human existence.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Thế nhân thường bon chen vì danh lợi. (People of the world often scramble for fame and gain.)
- Nhà thơ ấy hay viết về nỗi cô đơn giữa thế nhân. (That poet often writes about loneliness amidst mortal beings.)
- Cõi đời vô thường, thế nhân mấy ai hiểu được? (The world is impermanent; how many ordinary people understand this?)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in classical Vietnamese poetry, philosophical texts, and literary prose. It is not used in everyday conversation. It often sets a contemplative, detached, or slightly melancholic tone regarding human nature and society.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhân thế (n): A less common variant with a similar meaning, referring to the human world or mortal realm.
- Thế gian (n): the world; the secular realm. (More common than "thế nhân").
- Phàm nhân (n): mortals; ordinary people (also literary).
Synonyms
- Mankind / humanity: The human race.
- The multitude: The common people.
- Mortals: Human beings subject to death.
Related Concepts
- Trần thế (n): the earthly world.
- Cõi tục (n): the mundane world.
- Often contrasted with terms like bậc hiền triết (sage), thánh nhân (saint), or người giác ngộ (enlightened one).