Definition

1. Noun (Historical Term):
   • The common populace and the literati: A collective term from feudal times referring to the people of a nation, encompassing both the educated scholar-gentry class (sĩ phu) and the ordinary commoners.
   • The populace; the population: A term denoting the general body of inhabitants in a country.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhà vua lo cho sự an nguy của sĩ thứ. (The king cared for the safety of the common people and literati.)
  • Chính sách đó được sĩ thứ trong nước ủng hộ. (That policy was supported by the nation's populace.)

Advanced Usage

• This term is archaic and is primarily found in historical texts or discussions about pre-modern Vietnamese society. It reflects the traditional social stratification.

Variants and Related Words

• Sĩ phu (n): Scholar-gentry; the educated, morally-guided intellectual class in feudal society.
• Bách tính (n): (Historical) The hundred surnames; a classical term for the common people.
• Thường dân (n): Commoners; ordinary people.

Synonyms

• Populace: The general body of inhabitants in a country.
• Commonality: The ordinary people as distinct from the elite.
• Population: All the inhabitants of a particular place.

Notes on Usage

• Register: Archaic/Literary. Using this term in modern conversation would sound anachronistic. Modern equivalents like nhân dân (the people) or dân chúng (the populace) are used instead.
• Connotation: The term itself is neutral, but it inherently references a historical class-based social structure.

1. (từ cũ) Common people and intellectuals