tiên cô
Definition
- Noun:
- Fairy, female celestial being: A mythical, often beautiful and benevolent, supernatural female being with magical powers, commonly found in Vietnamese folklore and East Asian mythology. She is often depicted as an immortal who lives in a heavenly realm.
- A term for a graceful, ethereal, or exceptionally beautiful woman: Used poetically or admiringly to describe a woman who possesses an otherworldly elegance or purity.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong truyện cổ tích, một tiên cô đã giúp đỡ chàng tiều phu nghèo. (In the fairy tale, a fairy helped the poor woodcutter.)
- Cô ấy đẹp như một tiên cô giáng trần. (She is as beautiful as a fairy who descended to earth.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in literary, poetic, or formal contexts to evoke a sense of wonder, beauty, and transcendence. It is less common in everyday casual speech.
Variants and Related Words
- Tiên nữ (n): Another term for a fairy or celestial maiden, very similar in meaning and usage to "tiên cô."
- Nàng tiên (n): Fairy, nymph. A common phrase meaning "the fairy" or "fairy maiden."
Synonyms
- Fairy: A small, mythical being with magical powers.
- Celestial maiden: A heavenly or divine female being.
- Nymph: A mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Đẹp như tiên: As beautiful as a fairy. A common compliment.
- Cô dâu trong ngày cưới đẹp như tiên. (The bride on her wedding day was as beautiful as a fairy.)