Definition

1. Noun:
   • Village Chief / Village Headman: The official title for the administrative leader of a commune (xã) during the feudal era and the French colonial period in Vietnam. This person was responsible for local governance, tax collection, and implementing orders from higher authorities.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông lý trưởng là người có quyền lực nhất làng. (The village chief was the most powerful person in the village.)
  • Mọi việc thu thuế đều do lý trưởng đảm nhiệm. (All tax collection was handled by the village headman.)

Advanced Usage

• The role of the is historically specific and is not used for modern local officials. It often carries connotations of the pre-revolutionary or colonial administrative system.

Variants and Related Words

• Hương lý (n): A broader term referring to the class of village notables and officials, which included the .
• Chánh tổng (n): The head of a canton (tổng), a larger administrative unit above the commune (xã).

Synonyms

• Village chief
• Village headman
• Commune chief (historical context)

Related Idioms

• Phép vua thua lệ làng: This proverb, meaning "The king's law yields to village customs," highlights the traditional autonomy of the village, where figures like the and village elders held significant practical authority.