sắp ấn
Definition
- Verb (archaic):
- To seal away the official seal: To ceremoniously store the government or bureaucratic seal, marking the beginning of an official holiday period, traditionally for the Lunar New Year (Tết).
- To suspend official duties: To temporarily cease administrative activities and court proceedings for an extended holiday, specifically the Lunar New Year break.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Theo lệnh vua, các quan sẽ sắp ấn vào ngày 23 tháng Chạp. (By the king's order, the mandarins will seal away the official seal on the 23rd day of the last lunar month.)
- Sau khi sắp ấn, công đường đóng cửa cho đến hết Tết. (After suspending official duties, the administrative offices remained closed until the end of the Lunar New Year.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "sắp ấn" is a historical administrative term, specifically related to the Confucian bureaucratic system of imperial Vietnam. It signifies the formal, ritualistic conclusion of the year's official business.
- The counterpart action, marking the resumption of work after the holiday, is "khai ấn" (to unseal the official seal).
Variants and Related Words
- Khai ấn (v): To ceremoniously unseal and begin using the official seal again after a holiday, marking the resumption of official duties.
- Ấn quan (n): The official seal of a mandarin or a government office, representing their authority.
Synonyms
- To close the offices (for holiday): To suspend official government operations.
- To recess (ceremonially): To begin a formal break from official proceedings.
Related Idioms
- While "sắp ấn" itself is the core term, the concept is part of the traditional idiom "sắp ấn khai ấn", referring to the full cycle of closing and reopening government affairs for the Lunar New Year.