lão nhiêu
Definition
- Noun (Historical):
- An elderly man exempt from taxes and corvée labor: In feudal and French colonial Vietnam, a man from a rural area, typically aged fifty-five or older, who was officially exempt from personal taxes and mandatory labor service (corvée).
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Dưới thời phong kiến, các lão nhiêu trong làng được miễn sưu dịch. (During the feudal period, the lão nhiêu in the village were exempt from corvée labor.)
- Ông cụ đã trở thành lão nhiêu nên không phải nộp thuế thân nữa. (The old man had become a lão nhiêu, so he no longer had to pay the personal tax.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe a specific social and administrative category from Vietnam's past. It is considered an archaic term in modern language.
Variants and Related Words
- Lão (n): An old man; a prefix indicating age or experience (e.g., - experienced farmer).
- Miễn dịch (v): To exempt, to grant immunity (from a duty). This is a modern administrative term.
Synonyms
- Elder exempt from duties: A descriptive synonym highlighting the key privilege.
- Tax-exempt elder: A synonym focusing on the fiscal exemption.
Notes on Usage
- Register: This is a formal, historical term. It is not used in contemporary everyday conversation.
- Context: It is found in historical documents, literature, or discussions about pre-modern Vietnamese society and its administrative systems.