Definition

1. Verb:
   • To establish a capital: The primary historical meaning refers to a king, emperor, or ruling power officially choosing and setting up the main city or seat of government for a nation or kingdom.
   • To settle in for a long stay (colloquial, often humorous or critical): An extended, figurative meaning used to describe someone staying at a place (not their own) for an excessively long time, as if they have permanently settled there.

Usage Examples

• Verb (historical/official):

  • Nhà Lý đóng đô ở Thăng Long. (The Ly Dynasty established its capital in Thang Long.)
  • Vị vua mới quyết định đóng đô tại vùng đất này. (The new king decided to set up the capital in this region.)

• Verb (colloquial/figurative):

  • Cậu bạn tôi đến chơi và đóng đô ở phòng khách suốt ba ngày. (My friend came over and camped out in the living room for three whole days.)
  • Đừng có đóng đô ở quán cà phê cả buổi chiều như vậy. (Don't plant yourself in the coffee shop all afternoon like that.)

Advanced Usage

• The figurative usage often carries a mild tone of complaint or humor about someone overstaying their welcome or occupying a space for too long. It implies a sense of permanence or reluctance to leave.

Variants and Related Words

• Định đô (v): a more formal synonym meaning to fix or determine the location of the capital.
  • Triều đại đó định đô tại Huế. (That dynasty fixed its capital in Hue.)

Synonyms

• Establish the capital: (for the primary meaning).
• Camp out / Settle in / Overstay: (for the colloquial meaning).

Related Idioms

• Đóng đô lì: emphasizes an even more stubborn or prolonged settling in.
  • Nó đóng đô lì ở thư viện để ôn thi. (He camped out stubbornly in the library to study for exams.)

1. Set up the capital (of a kingdom) (in a given place)
2. Outstay one's welcome
   • Đóng đô ở nhà bạn, mãi không chịu đi
     To outstay one's welcome at a friend's house and be unable to make up one's mind to leave