Definition

1. Noun (Historical):
   • Native village; home village: Refers specifically to one's birthplace or ancestral village, often evoking a sense of local roots and origin.
   • Village notables; village elders: Refers collectively to the respected and influential figures in a traditional Vietnamese village, such as the leaders, scholars, or dignitaries.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Sau nhiều năm tha hương, ông ấy luôn nhớ về hương lí của mình. (After many years away from home, he always remembers his native village.)
  • Mọi việc quan trọng trong làng đều do các vị hương lí quyết định. (All important matters in the village were decided by the village notables.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "hương lí" is primarily used in a historical or literary context to describe traditional Vietnamese village society before the mid-20th century. It conveys a formal and respectful tone.

Variants and Related Words

• Quê hương (n): homeland, country. A more common and modern term for one's native place or homeland.

  • Quê hương tôi ở miền Trung. (My homeland is in the Central region.)

• Làng xã (n): villages and communes; refers to the general concept of rural administrative units.

  • Phong tục làng xã ngày xưa rất phức tạp. (The customs of villages in the past were very complex.)

• Hào mục (n): village gentry; a similar historical term for local dignitaries.

  • Tầng lớp hào mục nắm giữ nhiều quyền lực ở nông thôn. (The class of village gentry held much power in the countryside.)

Synonyms

• Native place: One's place of origin.
• Village elders: The senior and respected leaders of a village.
• Local gentry: The influential class in a local community.

Related Idioms

• While there is no direct common idiom with "hương lí", the concept is central to the traditional idiom:
  • "Phép vua thua lệ làng": The king's law yields to village customs. This highlights the authority of village traditions and, by extension, its notables (hương lí).

    • Câu chuyện đó minh họa rõ cho câu "phép vua thua lệ làng". (That story clearly illustrates the saying "the king's law yields to village customs.")