tiền thân
Definition
- Noun:
- Predecessor: An organization, entity, or form that existed before and evolved into, or was directly replaced by, a current one.
- Previous incarnation / Former life: In Buddhist or philosophical contexts, the physical form or existence of a being in a past life.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Đảng Cộng sản Đông Dương là tiền thân của Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam. (The Indochinese Communist Party was the predecessor of the Communist Party of Vietnam.)
- Theo truyền thuyết, tiền thân của vị sư này là một con hươu. (According to legend, the former life of this monk was a deer.)
Advanced Usage
- Used primarily in formal, historical, or philosophical writing to denote a direct lineage or transformation from an earlier state to a later one.
Variants and Related Words
- Tiền bối (n): A senior, predecessor, or elder (often used for people, emphasizing experience and respect).
- Các tiền bối cách mạng. (The revolutionary seniors.)
Synonyms
- Predecessor: Something that comes before another of the same kind.
- Forerunner: A person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else.
- Ancestor: An early type or precursor.
Related Idioms
- While "tiền thân" itself is not commonly part of idioms, it functions as a specific term within historical or developmental narratives.