tiên tổ

Ông bà thường kể cho con cháu nghe về công lao của các vị tiên tổ.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ancestors, forefathers: This is the primary meaning of "tiên tổ." It refers specifically to the direct, lineal ancestors in a family line, typically those from earlier generations who are deceased. It carries a formal and respectful tone.
   • Progenitor, founder: In a broader or more figurative sense, "tiên tổ" can refer to the earliest known or most important ancestor of a group, lineage, or even a tradition, emphasizing the role as an originator.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ngày giỗ là dịp để con cháu tưởng nhớ đến tiên tổ. (The death anniversary is an occasion for descendants to remember their ancestors.)
  • Theo gia phả, vị tiên tổ của dòng họ ta đã di cư vào Nam hơn 300 năm trước. (According to the family register, the progenitor of our clan migrated to the South over 300 years ago.)
  • Ông ấy được tôn vinh như một vị tiên tổ của ngành công nghiệp điện ảnh nước nhà. (He is honored as a founding father of the national film industry.)

Advanced Usage

• The word "tiên tổ" is often used in formal, ceremonial, or literary contexts related to family, clan, tradition, and heritage. It is less common in everyday casual speech, where "tổ tiên" is more frequently used.
• It can be used in exclamations to invoke one's ancestors, often expressing shock, frustration, or a solemn oath.
  • Trời ơi, tiên tổ ơi! (Oh my God, my ancestors!)

Variants and Related Words

• Tổ tiên (n): Ancestors, forebears. This is a more common and general synonym for "tiên tổ."
• Tiền nhân (n): Predecessors, forebears. This word can refer to ancestors but also more broadly to those who came before in any field or endeavor.
• Ông bà (n): Grandparents, ancestors. A less formal term often used to refer to ancestors in a more familiar way.

Synonyms

• Ancestors: A person from whom one is descended.
• Forefathers: Members of the past generations of one's family or people.
• Progenitor: A direct ancestor; an originator.

Related Idioms

• Không biết đường về với tiên tổ: To not know the way back to one's ancestors. This idiom means to be ungrateful, to forget one's roots and origins.
  • Thành công rồi mà quên mất quê hương, thật là không biết đường về với tiên tổ. (After achieving success, he forgot his homeland; he truly does not know his roots.)