Definition

1. Noun:
   • Ancestral branch or lineage: Refers to a specific branch or line of descent within a larger family or clan, often used in historical or genealogical contexts.
   • Fundamental principle or tenet: Denotes a core guiding doctrine, principle, or creed, especially of a school of thought, religion, or organization.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Lineage):
  • Gia phả ghi chép đầy đủ các tông chỉ của dòng họ. (The genealogy records all the branches of the family lineage.)
• Noun (Principle):
  • Tông chỉ của tổ chức là nhân đạo và hòa bình. (The organization's fundamental tenet is humanitarianism and peace.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is considered literary and is more commonly found in formal, historical, or religious texts rather than in everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Tông (n): Can mean ancestral line, sect, or school (e.g., Phật giáo Nam tông - Theravada Buddhism).
• Chỉ (n): Can mean aim, purpose, or intention.

Synonyms

• Lineage: lineal descent from an ancestor.
• Tenet: a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy.
• Doctrine: a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a group.

Related Idioms

• While not a common idiom itself, the concept is central to phrases about heritage and creed, such as "giữ vững tông chỉ" (to uphold the core principles).