Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ancient sage / Worthy of antiquity: A person of great wisdom, virtue, and moral integrity from a previous era or generation, often revered as a model of exemplary conduct and thought.
   • Former virtuous person: Specifically refers to the virtuous and learned individuals of the past who are considered pioneers or founders of a tradition, school of thought, or moral code.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Chúng ta nên học theo gương của các tiên hiền. (We should learn from the examples of the ancient sages.)
  • Đền thờ này được xây để tưởng nhớ công ơn các tiên hiền. (This temple was built to commemorate the contributions of the former worthies.)
  • Tư tưởng của tiên hiền vẫn còn giá trị đến ngày nay. (The thoughts of the ancient wise men still hold value today.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in formal, academic, or reverential contexts related to Confucianism, traditional scholarship, and the veneration of ancestral teachers and moral exemplars.
• It can be used collectively to refer to a group or lineage of revered predecessors.

Variants and Related Words

• Tiền nhân (n): Forefathers, ancestors. This is a broader term that includes "tiên hiền" but can refer to any predecessors, not necessarily only the virtuous or wise.

  • Tiền nhân đã có công khai phá vùng đất này. (Our forefathers contributed to pioneering this land.)

• Hiền triết (n): Sage, philosopher. A more general term for a wise person, not necessarily from the distant past.

  • Ông ấy được coi là một hiền triết đương thời. (He is considered a contemporary sage.)

Synonyms

• Ancient sage: A profoundly wise man of ancient times.
• Worthy of old: A virtuous person from former times.
• Moral exemplar: A person regarded as a perfect model of virtue.

Related Concepts

• Tôn sư trọng đạo: (Vietnamese idiom) "Respect the teacher, revere the way." This principle underscores the cultural context in which "tiên hiền" are venerated as the original teachers of moral and scholarly traditions.
• Tiên hiền are often contrasted with hậu hiền (later or subsequent worthies), referring to virtuous individuals who came after and continued the legacy.