Definition

1. Noun:
   • Matriarchy: A social system or family structure where lineage, inheritance, and authority are traced through and held by the mother or the female line. This term often refers to historical or anthropological contexts, particularly in early human societies.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Một số dân tộc thiểu số từng theo chế độ mẫu hệ. (Some ethnic minorities once followed a matriarchal system.)
  • Trong xã hội mẫu hệ, người phụ nữ giữ vai trò quan trọng. (In a matriarchal society, women hold an important role.)
  • Tục lệ này có nguồn gốc từ thời kỳ mẫu hệ. (This custom originated from the matriarchal period.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chế độ mẫu hệ": This is the most common compound phrase, meaning "matriarchal system" or "matriarchy" as a societal structure.
  • Chế độ mẫu hệ đối lập với chế độ phụ hệ. (The matriarchal system is the opposite of the patriarchal system.)

Variants and Related Words

• Mẫu quyền (n): Matriarchy; maternal authority. (Less common than "mẫu hệ").
• Phụ hệ (n): Patriarchy; a social system where lineage and authority are traced through the father. This is the direct antonym.
• Matrilineal (adj): (From anthropology) Relating to or based on kinship with the mother or the female line. While "mẫu hệ" implies authority, "matrilineal" specifically refers to descent.

Synonyms

• Xã hội mẫu quyền: Matriarchal society. (A synonymous phrase).
• Chế độ thị tộc mẫu hệ: Matriarchal clan system. (A more specific anthropological term).

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Meaning: The term "mẫu hệ" specifically denotes a social system. It is not typically used to describe a single matriarchal family in modern contexts but rather a historical or cultural societal model.
• Anthropological Context: It is a key term in anthropology and history for describing certain early human social organizations, such as those found among some ancient cultures or a few contemporary ethnic groups.

noun

1. matriarchy