mặt rồng

Definition
  1. Noun (Historical, Archaic):
    • The face of the dragon; the dragon's countenance: A metaphorical and respectful term used in feudal Vietnam to refer to the king or emperor. It symbolizes the sovereign's majesty, power, and divine mandate, drawing from the dragon's symbolic association with imperial authority.
    • The royal visage: A literary term specifically denoting the face or person of the monarch.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Bá quan văn võ đều cúi đầu trước mặt rồng. (All civil and military officials bowed their heads before the dragon's countenance [the king].)
    • Lời tâu ấy đã làm vui lòng mặt rồng. (That petition pleased the royal visage.)
Advanced Usage
  • This term is exclusively found in historical texts, classical literature, or in contexts discussing the feudal court. It is not used in modern conversational Vietnamese.
  • It often appears in formal descriptions of court ceremonies, petitions to the throne, or in narratives involving the king.
Variants and Related Words
  • Long nhan (Noun): Another archaic synonym for "the emperor's face" or "the royal countenance." (Long = dragon, nhan = face).
    • Long nhan thượng đế. (May the emperor's countenance be joyful.)
Synonyms
  • The king / The emperor: The sovereign ruler.
  • The monarch: A king, queen, or emperor.
  • The sovereign: A supreme ruler, especially a monarch.
Related Idioms
  • Uy nghi mặt rồng: The majestic bearing of the emperor.
    • Uy nghi mặt rồng khiến ai nấy đều kính sợ. (The majestic bearing of the emperor inspired awe and fear in everyone.)