Definition

1. Noun:
   • A favorite minister: A court official who is specifically favored, trusted, and granted exceptional influence by a monarch, often due to personal affection rather than solely merit.
   • A royal favorite: A person, typically within a royal court, who receives special patronage, privileges, and closeness from the sovereign, such as a king or emperor.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Vị sủng thần đó nắm quyền lực rất lớn trong triều đình. (That royal favorite held great power in the court.)
  • Nhà vua nghe theo lời xúi giục của các sủng thần. (The king listened to the instigations of his favorites.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "sủng thần" is historical and literary, primarily used in contexts describing feudal dynasties, historical narratives, or classical literature. It carries a connotation of potentially excessive or unmerited influence, which could lead to court intrigue or corruption.
  • Lịch sử ghi lại nhiều triều đại suy vong vì vua tin dùng sủng thần. (History records many dynasties that declined because the king trusted favorites.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sủng ái (v): to dote on, to favor (especially of a superior's affection towards a subordinate).
  • Hoàng đế sủng ái một vị quan trẻ. (The emperor doted on a young official.)
• Thần tử (n): a subject or minister (a more general, neutral term for a court official).

Synonyms

• Favorite: a person treated with special favor.
• Minion: a follower or underling, especially one who servilely follows a powerful person (often pejorative).
• Court favorite: a specifically historical synonym.

Related Idioms

• While there is no direct idiom with "sủng thần", the concept is central to the classical idiom:
  • "Trọng dụng nịnh thần": to value and employ sycophantic ministers. This describes a ruler's harmful practice of promoting flatterers, which is closely related to having "sủng thần".

    • Triều đình hỗn loạn vì nhà vua trọng dụng nịnh thần. (The court was in chaos because the king valued sycophantic ministers.)