Definition

Noun: * French domination, French colonial rule: Refers specifically to the period when Vietnam was a colony or protectorate of France, from the mid-19th century until 1954. It describes the state of being under French political, economic, and administrative control.

Usage

• The term is used historically to denote the era of French colonialism in Vietnam.
• It is a compound noun formed from "Pháp" (France) and "thuộc" (to belong to, to be under the rule of). It functions as a single historical term.
• It is often used in formal, historical, or academic contexts.

Examples

• Thời kỳ Pháp thuộc kéo dài gần một thế kỷ. (The period of French domination lasted nearly a century.)
• Nhiều công trình kiến trúc ở Hà Nội được xây dựng từ thời Pháp thuộc. (Many architectural works in Hanoi were built during the French colonial period.)
• Ông ấy nghiên cứu về văn hóa Việt Nam thời Pháp thuộc. (He researches Vietnamese culture during the era of French rule.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is typically used as a fixed historical label. It is not commonly broken down or used in other grammatical constructions.
• It can be used attributively before other nouns to specify the time period, e.g., "giáo dục thời Pháp thuộc" (education during the French colonial era), "xã hội Việt Nam thời Pháp thuộc" (Vietnamese society under French rule).

Variants and Related Words

• Thực dân Pháp (n): French colonialists. This term focuses on the colonial power/people rather than the period or state of being.
  • Cuộc kháng chiến chống thực dân Pháp. (The resistance war against the French colonialists.)
• Thuộc địa (n): Colony.
  • Việt Nam từng là thuộc địa của Pháp. (Vietnam was once a colony of France.)
• Bảo hộ (n): Protectorate (another form of colonial control).
  • Trung Kỳ và Bắc Kỳ dưới chế độ bảo hộ của Pháp. (Annam and Tonkin under the French protectorate system.)

Synonyms

• Thời kỳ thực dân Pháp: The period of French colonialism. (A near-identical synonym in meaning and usage.)
• Chế độ thực dân Pháp: The French colonial regime/system.

Notes on Meaning

• Pháp thuộc has a single, specific historical meaning. It does not have other general meanings.
• It carries a neutral to negative connotation, reflecting the loss of national sovereignty, though its use in modern historical discourse is primarily descriptive.

1. French domination