Definition

Noun: - The first year of a reign or era: Specifically refers to the inaugural calendar year of a monarch's rule or a newly established era name in historical contexts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Vua Gia Long lên ngôi, năm đó được gọi là nguyên niên. (Emperor Gia Long ascended the throne; that year was called the first year of the reign.)
  • Niên hiệu "Thiên Ứng Chính Bình" được ban hành, và năm 1232 trở thành nguyên niên của niên hiệu này. (The era name "Thiên Ứng Chính Bình" was promulgated, and 1232 became the first year of this era.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is primarily used in historical, academic, or literary texts discussing Vietnamese monarchy or era names. It is not used in modern, everyday contexts.
• Often appears in phrases specifying the ruler or era, e.g., (the first year of King Lý Thái Tổ's reign).

Variants and Related Words

• Niên hiệu (n): Era name; the official title given to a period of years by a monarch.
• Nguyên niên hiệu (n): A fuller, though less common, form meaning the first year of an era name.

Synonyms

• Năm đầu tiên của triều đại: The first year of the dynasty/reign.
• Năm đầu niên hiệu: The first year of the era name.

Notes on Meaning

• The term nguyên niên is historical and formal. Its usage is fixed and does not extend to other meanings like "first year" of a school term or a company's fiscal year, which would be .

1. First year of rule's reign