Definition

1. Noun:
   • The highland region; the upstream region: Refers to the mountainous or upstream areas of a country, particularly in contrast to the lowland or delta regions. It denotes a geographical area, often with connotations of being remote or less developed.
   • The hinterlands: Can imply areas away from the central, populous plains.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhiều dân tộc thiểu số sinh sống ở mạn ngược. (Many ethnic minorities live in the highland region.)
  • Chúng tôi dự định đi du lịch lên mạn ngược. (We plan to travel to the upstream regions.)
  • Văn hóa mạn ngược có nhiều nét độc đáo. (The culture of the hinterlands has many unique features.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is somewhat literary or formal. In everyday modern speech, words like "miền núi" (mountainous region) or "vùng cao" (highland area) are more common.
• It often carries a perspective from the "miền xuôi" (the lowlands/downstream region), framing the highlands as "upstream" in relation to river systems.

Variants and Related Words

• Miền ngược (n): A synonymous term for the highland or upstream region.

  • Ông ấy từ miền ngược mới xuống. (He just came down from the highland region.)

• Ngược (adv, adj): As an independent word, it means "upstream," "against the current," or "contrary."

  • Thuyền đi ngược dòng. (The boat goes upstream.)

Synonyms

• Highlands: An area of high or mountainous land.
• Upcountry: The interior part of a country.
• Hinterlands: The remote or less developed areas beyond the core region.

Related Concepts

• Miền xuôi (n): The lowlands or downstream region; often contrasted with "mạn ngược."
  • Hàng hóa từ miền xuôi được chở lên mạn ngược. (Goods from the lowlands are transported to the highlands.)