xử sĩ
Definition
- Noun:
- A scholar or virtuous person who lives in seclusion: In classical Vietnamese literature, "xử sĩ" refers to an educated person, often a Confucian scholar, who chooses to live a withdrawn life away from society and official service, typically to preserve personal integrity, pursue study, or avoid political turmoil.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông ấy sống như một xử sĩ, xa lánh chốn quan trường. (He lives like a recluse scholar, far from the official circles.)
- Trong lịch sử, nhiều xử sĩ tìm về núi rừng để ở ẩn. (In history, many reclusive scholars retreated to the mountains and forests to live in seclusion.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in historical, literary, or philosophical contexts to describe an ideal of the eremitic intellectual in traditional East Asian culture.
Variants and Related Words
- Ẩn sĩ (n): hermit, recluse. A closely related term with a stronger emphasis on complete withdrawal from society.
- Vị ẩn sĩ sống một mình trong hang động. (The hermit lived alone in a cave.)
Synonyms
- Recluse: a person who lives a solitary life.
- Hermit: a person living in solitude for religious or personal reasons.
- Eremite: a hermit, especially a religious one.
Related Idioms
- While "xử sĩ" itself is not commonly found in modern idioms, the concept is central to classical phrases about withdrawal, such as "ở ẩn" (to live in hiding/seclusion).
- Quyết chí ở ẩn, ông trở thành một xử sĩ được dân làng kính trọng. (Determined to live in seclusion, he became a recluse scholar respected by the villagers.)