tiên

See also: tien, tiến, tiền, Tiên, tiễn, Tiến, tieň, and tiện

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

(Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [tiən˧˧]
(Huế) IPA^(key): [tiəŋ˧˧]
(Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [tiəŋ˧˧]
Homophone: Tiên

Etymology 1

Sino-Vietnamese word from 先.

Adverb

tiên

(only in fixed Sino-Vietnamese expressions) first; prior; before
Tiên học lễ, hậu học văn.
Manners come first, schoolwork later.

Etymology 2

Sino-Vietnamese word from 仙.

Noun

tiên

(Chinese mythology or literature) a hermit (either of human or yokai origin) who trains themself for thousands of years to become a god, or a state of existence between a human (nhân) and a god (thần)
thần tiên
gods and hermits

Hằng Nga Tiên tử
Heng'e the Hermit
(by extension, Western fantasy) a fine, beautiful creature such as a fairy, a pixie, an undine, an elf, a dryad, a mermaid, etc.
cô tiên xanh
the blue fairy godmother

Nàng tiên cá
the Little Mermaid

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