Definition

1. Noun (Historical Term):
   • Vassal prince: A ruler of a feudal domain or principality who owes allegiance and service to a higher sovereign, such as an emperor or king. This term is specific to the historical feudal systems in regions like Vietnam and China.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Các phiên chúa thường phải triều cống cho hoàng đế. (Vassal princes often had to pay tribute to the emperor.)
  • Vùng đất đó từng do một phiên chúa cai trị. (That region was once ruled by a vassal prince.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term is primarily used in historical texts and discussions about pre-modern political structures in East and Southeast Asia.
  • Chế độ phiên chúa tồn tại ở nhiều nước Á Đông thời phong kiến. (The vassal prince system existed in many East Asian countries during the feudal era.)

Variants and Related Words

• Phiên (n, historical): A feudal domain, fief, or vassal state.
  • Phiên trấn: A vassal garrison or domain.
• Chư hầu (n): Vassal; a broader term for a subordinate ruler or state.
• Phiên vương (n): A term with a similar meaning, sometimes translated as "vassal king" or "tributary king."

Synonyms

• Chư hầu (n): Vassal, tributary state.
• Vua chư hầu (n): Vassal king.

Notes on Meaning

• This is a historical compound noun. The word "phiên" alone can refer to a border region, a vassal state, or a session/period (e.g., - meeting session). The word "chúa" alone means "lord" or "master." However, in the specific historical term "phiên chúa", it functions as a single unit meaning "vassal prince."

1. (sử học) Vassal prince