Definition

1. Noun:
   • Courier's pass / dispatch rider's token: A physical token or pass, historically carried by a mounted courier to authorize urgent, high-speed travel, often for delivering critical messages or government dispatches.
   • Urgent dispatch / express message: By extension, the term refers to the urgent message or news itself that is being delivered with great speed and priority.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Người lính cầm mã bài phi ngựa thẳng về kinh đô. (The soldier, holding the courier's pass, rode his horse directly to the capital.)
  • Tin tức chiến thắng được truyền đi bằng mã bài. (The news of the victory was sent via urgent dispatch.)

Advanced Usage

• The concept is historical and evokes imagery of pre-modern communication systems. It is sometimes used metaphorically in modern contexts to describe information or an action that requires the highest priority and speed.
  • Dự án này được xử lý với tốc độ mã bài. (This project is being handled at express dispatch speed.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tin hỏa tốc (n): Literally "fire-speed news," a near-synonym meaning an extremely urgent, top-priority message or telegram.

Synonyms

• Urgent dispatch
• Express courier
• Priority message

Related Idioms

• Tốc độ mã bài: Used to describe a pace or speed that is extremely fast and urgent, akin to a historical dispatch rider.
  • Đội kỹ thuật sửa chữa đường dây với tốc độ mã bài. (The technical team repaired the line at breakneck speed.)