Definition

1. Noun:
   • The capital city: Historically refers to the capital of a country, particularly the ancient capital of Vietnam.
   • An urban area, a town: Refers to a city or town, especially in contrast to rural areas. It denotes a place of commerce and administration.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Người kẻ chợ thường có lối sống khác với người làng quê. (People from the capital often have a different lifestyle than those from the countryside.)
  • Thăng Long xưa là kẻ chợ của nước Đại Việt. (Thang Long was the capital of Dai Viet in the past.)

Advanced Usage

• "Người kẻ chợ": A set phrase meaning "a city dweller," "a townsperson," or specifically "a native of the capital." It often carries a connotation of being sophisticated or accustomed to urban life.
  • Cô ấy là người kẻ chợ chính hiệu, rất sành điệu. (She is a genuine city dweller, very fashionable.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kinh đô (n): Capital city. A direct synonym, more formal and still in common use.
• Đô thị (n): Urban area, city. A modern term for a city or urban center.
• Thành thị (n): City, urban area. Contrasts with "nông thôn" (countryside).

Synonyms

• Kinh thành: The capital city (archaic/literary).
• Phố phường: Streets and wards; refers to the urban landscape.

Notes on Usage

• Register: The word "kẻ chợ" is now considered archaic or historical. It is rarely used in modern everyday conversation to mean "city." It is found in historical texts, literature, or in fixed phrases like "người kẻ chợ."
• Connotation: When used, it often evokes a traditional or old-fashioned image of the capital, distinct from modern metropolitan areas.
• Component Meaning: The term originates from "kẻ" (a classifier for people/places, often meaning a region or group) and "chợ" (market), implying "the market region" or "the place of commerce," which was the center of administration and economy.

1. Capital, urban area
   • Người kẻ chợ
     The people from the capital. a native of the capital, the urban people; a towndweller