cung cấm
Definition
- Noun:
- Forbidden palace / royal palace: The primary meaning refers to the inner, restricted quarters of a royal palace, specifically the areas where the monarch and the royal family resided. Access was strictly prohibited to the general public and most officials.
- The imperial court / the royal court: By extension, it can refer to the royal court itself, emphasizing its secluded and exclusive nature.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Chuyện trong cung cấm không được tiết lộ ra ngoài. (Matters within the forbidden palace must not be revealed to the outside.)
- Chỉ những thái giám và cung nữ mới được phép ra vào cung cấm. (Only eunuchs and palace maids were permitted to enter and leave the royal inner quarters.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in historical contexts to describe the feudal royal courts of Vietnam or other East Asian monarchies. It evokes a sense of secrecy, power, and strict hierarchy.
Variants and Related Words
Cung điện (n): palace. A more general term for any large, grand residence of a sovereign.
- Cung điện Huế rất nguy nga. (The Hue Imperial Palace is very magnificent.)
Nội cung (n): inner palace. A closely related term specifying the inner residential quarters, often synonymous with cung cấm.
Synonyms
- Inner palace: The secluded residential quarters of a royal family.
- Royal sanctum: A highly restricted and sacred area within a palace.
Related Idioms
- Chuyện cung cấm: Refers to secretive or confidential matters, often of a political or scandalous nature, akin to "palace intrigues."
- Đó là chuyện cung cấm, không nên bàn tán. (That is a matter of palace secrets and should not be gossiped about.)