Definition

1. Verb:
   • To obey an order; to carry out a command: The core meaning of "phụng mệnh" is to respectfully receive and execute an order or command issued by a superior authority. It implies a formal, dutiful, and often solemn compliance.
   • To act under orders; to be commissioned: It describes the state or action of being officially tasked or mandated by a higher power to perform a specific duty.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Vị tướng phụng mệnh nhà vua dẫn quân ra trận. (The general, obeying the king's order, led the troops into battle.)
  • Sứ thần phụng mệnh triều đình đi sứ nước ngoài. (The envoy was commissioned by the court to go on a diplomatic mission abroad.)
  • Anh ta phụng mệnh cấp trên để điều tra vụ việc. (He acted under orders from his superior to investigate the matter.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "phụng mệnh" is formal and carries a classical or literary nuance. It is often used in historical, military, bureaucratic, or ceremonial contexts to emphasize the legitimacy and gravity of the command and the obedience of the subordinate.
• It frequently appears in written language, official documents, or historical narratives rather than in everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Tuân mệnh (v): To obey an order. Similar in meaning but may place slightly more emphasis on strict obedience.
• Thừa lệnh (v): To act on someone's instructions. Slightly less formal than "phụng mệnh" and can be used in broader hierarchical contexts.
• Thi hành mệnh lệnh (v): To execute an order. A more descriptive modern phrase.

Synonyms

• To obey an order: To act in accordance with a command.
• To carry out a command: To execute a directive.
• To be mandated: To be given official authority to act.
• To act under commission: To perform a task by formal authorization.

Related Idioms

• Phụng mệnh thiên tử: (Historical/Literary) To receive a mandate from the emperor; to act on the emperor's authority. This idiom underscores the highest possible source of the command.
  • Quan lại ấy phụng mệnh thiên tử cai trị vùng biên ải. (That official governed the border region under the emperor's mandate.)

1. Comply with orders from above