lao lí
Definition
- Noun (Archaic):
- Prison, jail, penitentiary: A place of confinement for individuals who have been convicted of crimes or are awaiting trial. This term is historical and literary, not commonly used in modern everyday Vietnamese.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Nhà văn mô tả cảnh tù nhân bị giam trong lao lí. (The writer described the scene of prisoners being held in the prison.)
- Từ "lao lí" thường xuất hiện trong các văn bản cổ. (The word "lao lí" often appears in ancient texts.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily encountered in historical, legal, or literary contexts to evoke a sense of the past. It is not used in contemporary legal or administrative language.
Variants and Related Words
Nhà tù (n): The modern, standard term for prison or jail.
- Hắn bị kết án và đưa vào nhà tù. (He was sentenced and sent to prison.)
Ngục (n, literary): Dungeon, prison (also archaic/literary, but slightly more common in poetic usage).
- Cảnh ngục tối được miêu tả đầy ám ảnh. (The scene of the dark dungeon was described as haunting.)
Synonyms
- Prison: A facility for the confinement of convicted criminals.
- Jail: A place for the detention of persons awaiting trial or convicted of minor offenses.
- Penitentiary: A prison for serious crimes.
Related Idioms
- Vào lao ra lí: An archaic idiom meaning to be entangled in legal troubles or imprisonment. It emphasizes the state of being caught in the judicial system.
- Câu chuyện kể về một người lương thiện bỗng phải vào lao ra lí. (The story tells of an honest man who suddenly found himself entangled in prison.)