tiên thiên

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Innate; inborn: Refers to qualities, characteristics, or knowledge that exist from birth, not acquired through experience.
   • A priori; inherent: Pertaining to knowledge or principles that are logically prior to experience or independent of it.
   • Congenital: Existing at or from birth, often in a medical or physical context.

2. Noun (in philosophy/medicine):

   • Pre-natal endowment; congenital foundation: The inherent constitution or condition one is born with.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Theo triết học, một số nguyên lý được coi là tiên thiên. (In philosophy, some principles are considered a priori.)
  • Anh ấy có năng khiếu tiên thiên về âm nhạc. (He has an innate talent for music.)
  • Đó là một khuyết tật tiên thiên. (That is a congenital defect.)

Advanced Usage

• "tiên thiên bất túc": An old term meaning "congenital insufficiency" or "having a weak constitution from birth."

  • Cậu bé ốm yếu vì tiên thiên bất túc. (The boy is sickly due to a congenital weakness.)

• In philosophical contexts, "tri thức tiên thiên" translates to "innate knowledge" or "a priori knowledge."

  • Plato tin vào tri thức tiên thiên. (Plato believed in innate knowledge.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bẩm sinh (adj): Congenital, inborn. Often used interchangeably with in non-philosophical contexts.
  • Tính cách bẩm sinh. (Inborn personality.)

Synonyms

• Innate: Inborn; natural.
• Congenital: Present from birth.
• A priori: Knowledge independent of experience.

Related Concepts

• Hậu thiên (adj): Acquired; postnatal. This is the conceptual opposite of , referring to qualities developed after birth through experience or environment.