Definition

1. Noun:
   • An Immortal Male Sage; A Male Fairy: In Vietnamese folk belief and Taoist mythology, a "tiên ông" is a benevolent, supernatural male being who has achieved immortality through spiritual cultivation. He possesses magical powers, eternal youth, and lives in a heavenly realm, often associated with wisdom, purity, and the ability to bestow blessings or guidance upon mortals.
   • A Very Aged and Venerable Man: Used figuratively to describe an elderly man who appears exceptionally serene, wise, or detached from worldly concerns, reminiscent of the archetypal immortal sage.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong truyện cổ tích, một vị tiên ông thường xuất hiện để giúp đỡ người lương thiện. (In fairy tales, a male immortal sage often appears to help virtuous people.)
  • Ông cụ sống thanh tịnh trên núi, trông như một tiên ông giáng trần. (The old man lives a pure life in the mountains, looking like an immortal sage who descended to earth.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is part of a spiritual hierarchy. "Tiên" (immortal/fairy) can be used for females ("tiên nữ") or generically. "Tiên ông" specifies the male gender and often implies a higher degree of venerability or authority than "tiên."
• It is a central concept in stories about the "Taoist Eight Immortals" (Bát Tiên), where each "tiên ông" (and "tiên cô") possesses a distinct symbol and power.

Variants and Related Words

• Tiên (n): Immortal; fairy; celestial being. A more general term.
  • Cô ấy đẹp như tiên. (She is as beautiful as a fairy.)
• Tiên nữ (n): A female immortal; a fairy maiden.
  • Đội múa mặc trang phục của các tiên nữ. (The dance team wore costumes of fairy maidens.)
• Tiên cảnh (n): The fairyland; the realm of the immortals.
  • Phong cảnh nơi đây đẹp như tiên cảnh. (The scenery here is as beautiful as fairyland.)

Synonyms

• Immortal (male)
• Sage
• Celestial being
• Taoist immortal

Related Idioms and Cultural References

• Sống như tiên / Sống như tiên ông: To live like an immortal; to live a life of extreme leisure, comfort, and freedom from worry.
  • Ông ấy về hưu ở quê, sống như tiên ông vậy. (He retired to the countryside, living like an immortal sage.)
• Bát Tiên: The Eight Immortals, a famous group of "tiên ông" and "tiên cô" in Chinese and Vietnamese mythology, often depicted crossing the sea.