lý trưởng
Definition
- 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.