tiên học lễ, hậu học văn

Vietnamese

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Etymology

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Sino-Vietnamese word from 先學礼後學文

Proverb

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tiên học lễ, hậu học văn

  1. (literal) learn manners first, then learn literature
  2. (figurative) learn your manners before you learn anything else; it doesn't matter how smart you are, you have to know your manners first and foremost