lập thứ
Definitions
- Verb phrase:
- To establish a younger son as heir: The historical act of designating a younger son, instead of the eldest, as the primary heir or successor, often within a royal family or aristocratic lineage.
- To pass over the eldest: To deliberately bypass the firstborn son's traditional right of primogeniture in favor of a younger sibling.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Nhà vua quyết định lập thứ, gây nên nhiều tranh cãi trong triều đình. (The king decided to establish a younger son as heir, causing much controversy in the court.)
- Theo sử sách, việc bỏ trưởng lập thứ thường dẫn đến xung đột. (According to historical records, passing over the eldest to establish a younger heir often led to conflict.)
Advanced Usage
- This term is almost exclusively used in a historical or formal context, referring to feudal or monarchical succession practices. It carries a connotation of breaking tradition and can imply political maneuvering or favoritism.
Variants and Related Words
- Bỏ trưởng lập thứ: A common four-word idiom meaning "to abandon the eldest and establish the younger (as heir)." This is the full, classic phrase where lập thứ is a key component.
- Lập Đông cung Thái tử: To establish/designate the Crown Prince (a related but distinct formal act of naming an heir, not specifying birth order).
- Truất ngôi: To dethrone; to remove from succession (a related concept of changing the line of succession).
Synonyms
- Chỉ định người kế vị trẻ tuổi hơn: To designate a younger successor.
- Phế trưởng lập ấu: To depose the eldest and establish the young (a very close synonym with similar historical usage).
Related Idioms
- Bỏ trưởng lập thứ: As mentioned above, this is the primary idiom containing the term. It encapsulates the entire concept of setting aside the firstborn's right.
- Âm mưu bỏ trưởng lập thứ cuối cùng đã thất bại. (The plot to abandon the eldest and establish the younger ultimately failed.)
Notes on Meaning
- The term lập thứ is archaic (cổ, hán việt) and is not used in modern, everyday contexts. It belongs to the language of historical texts, classical literature, and discussions of feudal history.
- The core meaning revolves around the violation of the principle of primogeniture (quyền trưởng nam/thừa kế theo thứ tự sinh).