Definition

1. Verb (archaic):
   • To cultivate one's character / to cultivate virtue: The primary meaning of "tu nhân" refers to the conscious effort to improve one's moral character and ethical behavior through self-discipline and learning. It is a core concept in Confucian philosophy, emphasizing personal moral development as the foundation for a harmonious society.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Cổ nhân dạy rằng muốn trị quốc trước hết phải tu nhân. (The ancients taught that to govern a state, one must first cultivate one's character.)
  • Ông ấy sống một cuộc đời tu nhân tích đức. (He lived a life of cultivating virtue and accumulating good deeds.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in fixed, proverbial expressions, often paired with other classical virtues. It is considered literary and archaic in modern Vietnamese.
• "tu nhân tích đức": This is the most common collocation, meaning "to cultivate one's character and accumulate virtuous deeds." It presents moral development as a lifelong process of both inner refinement and outward moral action.

Variants and Related Words

• Tu thân (v): A nearly synonymous and more commonly used term in classical texts, also meaning "to cultivate oneself" or "to improve one's person." It is a key phrase from "The Great Learning" (Đại Học).
  • Tu thân, tề gia, trị quốc, bình thiên hạ. (Cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world.)

Synonyms

• To cultivate oneself: To develop one's mind or character through education and discipline.
• To practice virtue: To actively engage in morally good behavior.
• To refine one's character: To improve and polish one's moral qualities.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Tu nhân tích đức: To cultivate one's character and accumulate virtue/good deeds. This is the standard, complete phrase in which "tu nhân" appears.
  • Phúc đức tại mẫu, nhưng mỗi người cũng phải tự tu nhân tích đức. (Blessings come from the mother, but each person must also cultivate character and accumulate virtue themselves.)