tiên
See also: Appendix:Variations of "tien"
Vietnamese
editPronunciation
editEtymology 1
editSino-Vietnamese word from 先.
Adverb
edittiên
- (only in fixed Sino-Vietnamese expressions) first; prior; before
- Tiên học lễ, hậu học văn.
- Manners come first, schoolwork later.
Etymology 2
editSino-Vietnamese word from 仙, also written as 僊.
Noun
edittiên
- (Chinese mythology or literature) a hermit (either of human or yokai origin) who trains themselves for thousands of years to become a Immortals (Tiên), or a state of existence between a human (nhân) and a god (thần)
- thần tiên
- gods and immortals
- 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