phó quan
Definition
- Noun:
- A deputy official: A mandarin or government officer who holds a secondary or assistant position within the traditional bureaucratic hierarchy.
- The act of taking up an official post: The action of departing to assume one's duties as a government mandarin.
Usage Examples
Noun (deputy official):
- Ông ta chỉ là một phó quan trong huyện. (He is only a deputy official in the district.)
- Phó quan có nhiệm vụ hỗ trợ cho quan chính. (The deputy official has the duty to assist the principal official.)
Noun (act of taking a post):
- Lễ phó quan của vị tân khoa được tổ chức long trọng. (The ceremony for the new graduate's departure to take up his post was grandly organized.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is historical and literary, primarily used in contexts related to feudal or dynastic administrative systems.
Variants and Related Words
- Quan lại (n): the mandarin class, bureaucrats.
- Quan chức (n): official, functionary (modern equivalent).
Synonyms
- Deputy mandarin
- Assistant official
- Vice-official
Notes on Usage
- "Phó quan" is an archaic term. In modern contexts, words like "phó" (deputy) or "phó chủ tịch" (vice-chairman) are used within compound titles, but the standalone term "phó quan" is rarely used.