hiền

Sino-Vietnamese word from 賢 (“worthy, capable, virtuous”).

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [hiən˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [hiəŋ˦˩]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [hiəŋ˨˩]
• Homophone: Hiền

hiền

1. (archaic) worthy, capable, wise, good, virtuous

   người hiền ― virtuous person, virtuous subordinate, virtuoso

   • 14th century, Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms; 1909 Vietnamese translation by Phan Kế Bính

     Nghe tiếng ngài yêu người hiền, trọng kẻ sĩ, nên tôi cũng đến yết kiến.

     I've heard that ye reputedly cherish virtuosi and respect literati, so I'm also come for an audience.

2. kind; gentle; mild; meek; docile

   Synonym: lành

   hiền như nai (tơ) ― gentle/virtuous as a fawn

   hiền như ma xơ ― as kind/virtuous as a nun (ma xơ is from French ma sœur (“sister; nun”))

   Đừng lo, thằng đó hiền lắm.

   Don't worry, he's not the violent type (lit. he's very meek).

3. (Southern Vietnam) innocuous; harmless; nutritious
4. (Southern Vietnam, euphemistic) ingenuous

   Em hiền quá à! Vậy thì sao có bồ được?

   You're too ingenuous! How would you ever get a girlfriend?