Definition

1. Noun:
   • Royal guard (during the French colonial period): "khố vàng" refers to a soldier or guard responsible for protecting the imperial palace and the royal court in Huế during the French colonial era in Vietnam.
   • Historical term: This is an archaic term specifically denoting a member of the native royal guard unit under the French administration.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Những người lính khố vàng canh gác nghiêm ngặt tại Hoàng thành. (The khố vàng soldiers guarded the Imperial City strictly.)
  • Trang phục của đội khố vàng rất dễ nhận biết. (The uniform of the khố vàng unit was very recognizable.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily used in historical contexts, discussions, or texts about the Nguyễn dynasty and the French colonial period in Vietnam.
• It often carries connotations of the complex colonial structure, where native forces served under and alongside French authority.

Variants and Related Words

• Lính khố vàng: A more explicit phrase meaning "khố vàng soldier".
• Vệ binh Hoàng gia (Royal Guard): A modern, general equivalent, but lacks the specific historical context of "khố vàng".
• Lính canh cung đình (Palace guard): A descriptive phrase for palace guards in a general historical sense.

Synonyms

• Lính canh hoàng gia bản xứ: Native royal guard.
• Vệ binh triều Nguyễn: Nguyễn dynasty guard (broader term, not specific to the colonial period).

Notes on Meaning

• The term "khố vàng" literally translates to "yellow loincloth," referring to a part of their distinctive uniform. However, as a fixed term, it refers to the guard himself, not the clothing item.
• It specifically denotes the period of French colonialism ("thời Pháp thuộc"). Guards from earlier independent dynastic periods are not called "khố vàng".

1. (cũ) Native royal guard (thời thuộc pháp).