Definition

1. Noun:
   • One's native village or local community: Refers to the specific village, hamlet, or hometown area where one lives or originates from.
   • Village officials (historical): Under the French colonial administration in Vietnam, this term collectively referred to the heads of a commune, specifically the hương trưởng (village chief) and the lý trưởng (administrative head).

Usage Examples

• Noun (Native Place):

  • Sau nhiều năm, ông ấy trở về hương lý. (After many years, he returned to his native village.)
  • Tình cảm hương lý bao giờ cũng sâu nặng. (Sentiment for one's homeland is always profound.)

• Noun (Historical Officials):

  • Hương lý thời đó có nhiều quyền hành trong làng. (The village officials at that time held much power in the commune.)
  • Công việc đó do hương lý trong thôn quyết định. (That matter was decided by the village officials in the hamlet.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in historical or literary contexts and is less common in modern daily speech when referring to local governance.

Variants and Related Words

• Hương trưởng (n): Village chief (a specific role within the historical structure).
• Lý trưởng (n): Administrative village head (a specific role within the historical structure).
• Hương thôn (n): Villages and hamlets; one's native place.

Synonyms

• Homeland: One's native place.
• Native village: The village of one's origin.
• Village authorities (historical): The collective village leadership under the French colonial system.

Related Idioms

• While not a standalone idiom, the term can appear in classical or proverbial contexts emphasizing love for one's birthplace, such as (the sentiment and duty toward one's homeland).