Definitions

1. Adjective:
   • Of equal social standing or rank: Describes people who share the same level in a social, professional, or hierarchical structure. It implies comparability in status.
   • Of the same generation or age group: Often used in a social context to indicate peers, especially when combined with other phrases.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hai gia đình đó bằng vai với nhau trong xã hội. (Those two families are of equal social standing.)
  • Trong công ty, họ là những người bằng vai. (Within the company, they are people of the same rank.)
  • Chúng tôi bằng vai phải lứa, nên rất hiểu nhau. (We are of the same age and social standing, so we understand each other well.)

Advanced Usage

• "bằng vai phải lứa": A fixed, idiomatic phrase meaning "of the same rank and age" or "well-matched in social status and generation." It is often used in the context of marriage or close friendship to indicate a suitable match.
  • Họ lấy nhau là phải, vì thực sự bằng vai phải lứa. (It's right that they married, as they are truly well-matched in status and age.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ngang hàng (adj): Equivalent, on par. A close synonym focusing on equality in level or position.
  • Hai công ty này ngang hàng trên thị trường. (These two companies are on par in the market.)
• Đồng cấp (n): Peer, colleague of the same rank. More formal, often used in organizational contexts.
  • Anh ấy là đồng cấp của tôi. (He is my peer/colleague of the same rank.)

Synonyms

• Ngang vai: Literally "shoulder to shoulder," meaning of equal status.
• Tương đương: Equivalent, comparable.

Related Idioms

• "Bằng vai bằng lứa": A common variant of "bằng vai phải lứa," with the same meaning of being well-matched in social standing and age.
  • Muốn kết thông gia thì nên chọn gia đình bằng vai bằng lứa. (If you want to arrange a marriage, you should choose a family of comparable status.)

1. Of the same rank
   • bằng vai phải lứa
     of the same rank and age