Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

lão bất tử, lão thành tặc

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Old and deathless turns bandit — the mischievous jest at elders who outlive their dignity.

Literally: old, not dying, old becomes a rogue

Sources & notes

Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “lão bất tử, lão thành tặc” mean?

Old and deathless turns bandit — the mischievous jest at elders who outlive their dignity. Literally: old, not dying, old becomes a rogue

Is “lão bất tử, lão thành tặc” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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