Definition

Noun: 1. Earl, Count: A noble title of high rank in European aristocracy, historically the third rank in the feudal peerage system (below Duke and Marquess, and above Viscount and Baron). In the British peerage, the equivalent title is "Earl". In many other European countries (like France, Germany, Italy), the equivalent title is "Count". 2. The holder of this title: A man who holds the rank of earl or count.

Usage Examples

• As a title/noble rank:
  • Ông ấy được phong làm bá tước. (He was granted the title of earl/count.)
  • Tước hiệu bá tước được truyền từ đời cha sang đời con trai trưởng. (The title of earl is passed from father to eldest son.)
• Referring to the person:
  • Bá tước Dracula là một nhân vật hư cấu nổi tiếng. (Count Dracula is a famous fictional character.)
  • Vị bá tước giàu có đó sở hữu nhiều lâu đài. (That wealthy earl owns many castles.)

Advanced Usage

• "Hàng bá tước" / "Tước bá": Refers to the rank or dignity of an earl/count, or the collective body of earls/counts. The English equivalent is earldom (for the rank/territory) or the earldom/the countship.
  • Ông ấy thừa kế hàng bá tước từ người chú. (He inherited the earldom from his uncle.)
• "Bá tước phu nhân": The wife of an earl or count. The English equivalent is countess.
  • Bá tước phu nhân rất được kính trọng. (The countess is highly respected.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bà bá tước: Countess. This can refer to the wife of a count, or a woman who holds the title of countess in her own right.
• Đất bá tước: County or earldom. Refers to the land or territory ruled by a count or earl.
• Comte (French): The French word for "count", often used in historical or specific contexts related to France.
• Comtesse (French): The French word for "countess".

Synonyms

• Quý tộc cao cấp: High-ranking noble. (This is a descriptive phrase, not a direct title equivalent.)
• Lãnh chúa: Lord. (A broader term for a feudal ruler or noble, which can sometimes encompass the rank of earl/count.)

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary distinction lies in the regional usage of the English equivalents:
  • "Bá tước" = Earl: Used specifically for the British and some related peerages.
  • "Bá tước" = Count: Used for the equivalent title in most other European countries (e.g., Count of Monte Cristo, Count Dracula).
• There is no distinct idiom or phrasal verb in Vietnamese that uses "bá tước" as a core component. Its usage is primarily literal, referring to the aristocratic title or the person holding it.

noun

1. earl, count
   • hàng bá tước, tước bá
     earldom
   • bá tước phu nhân
     countess