Definition

1. Noun (archaic):
   • Palace of the King of Hell: The abode or realm ruled by Yama (Diêm Vương), the king of the underworld in East Asian Buddhist and folk mythology.
   • Hell: Used as a synonym for the underworld or the realm of the dead, often implying a place of judgment and punishment.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Linh hồn phải xuống diêm phủ để chịu xét xử. (The soul must descend to the Palace of the King of Hell to be judged.)
  • Truyện cổ tích thường nhắc đến cảnh diêm phủ đáng sợ. (Folk tales often mention the terrifying scene of hell.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily found in literary, religious, or folkloric contexts and is considered archaic in modern Vietnamese. It evokes a mythological and formal concept of the afterlife.

Variants and Related Words

• Âm phủ (n): The underworld; hell. This is a more common and contemporary synonym.
• Địa ngục (n): Hell; inferno. Often emphasizes a place of torment.
• Diêm Vương (n): Yama; the King of Hell.

Synonyms

• Hell: The abode of the dead, especially a place of punishment.
• Underworld: The realm of the dead.
• Hades: The classical Greek underworld (used in comparative contexts).

Related Idioms

• Xuống âm phủ/diêm phủ: To go to hell; to die.
  • Kẻ ác sau khi chết sẽ xuống diêm phủ. (The wicked will go to hell after death.)

1. (cũ) Palace of the King of Hell; hell