Vietnamese: The Enlightened One

[Queen Herod]

Hello everyone! I'm writing a story set in a post-apocalyptic Vietnam, and I've been struggling to find some specific titles for its characters.

The first character is a cult leader who's isolated himself and his followers up in the northern rural provinces. He is known as 'The Enlightened' or 'The Enlightened One' because he is supposedly the only one in their cult who has reached Enlightenment (not the Buddhist kind, mind you, but a bastardized version). One title I need for him is the Vietnamese equivalent to 'The Enlightened One or 'The Enlightened' that could be used as a title like 'The King' or 'The President'.

[Other questions removed by mod: please open a thread for each word]

I hope this wasn't too confusing! Thank you for giving me your time <3

 

[newname]

You need a bastardized word, a pun. 'Kẻ rác ngộ'.

 

[Ghabi]

Hi @newname What does Kẻ rác ngộ mean literally please? Can you explain a bit?

 

[newname]

As I said. It’s a play on word. Rác means rubbish. So instead of becoming enLIGHTENED (GIÁC ngộ) you become (RÁC ngộ) enBLACKENED.

Rác ngộ is invented by me. It’s not in a dictionary. However, everyone will understand it in the right context.

 

[Panpan1882]

I'm from Vietnam but actually I don't understand the word "Kẻ RÁC ngộ" and I don't hear it very often. If any, I think you should stick with the formal one: "Kẻ giác ngộ" or "Người giác ngộ" ("Kẻ" is used for downsizing purpose with a little bit harsh, resentful feeling, like guy in "bad guy" but more intense. "Người" is more neutral, it just means person. So your choice)
Though The Enlighter literally means "Người Khai Sáng" in Vietnamese. So I think both "Người giác ngộ" and "Người khai sáng" are OK.

 

[winds2clouds]

You should use "Kẻ giác ngộ". As Panpan said, "Kẻ rác ngộ" is not popular, and it's a little bit annoying.