hiền

See also: hien, hiên, hiến, hiển, Hiển, and hiện

Vietnamese

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [hiən˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [hiəŋ˦˩]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [hiəŋ˨˩]

Adjective

hiền

1. (archaic) virtuous

   người hiền

   virtuous people; virtuous subordinates

2. kind; gentle; 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.

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?