Definition

1. Noun (Archaic):
   • Generals and soldiers; military officers and troops: A collective term from classical literature and historical texts referring to the command structure and fighting force of an army.
   • Physiognomist; face reader: A person whose profession is to tell fortunes or judge character based on a person's facial features and appearance.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Military):

  • Nhà vua khen ngợi tinh thần chiến đấu dũng cảm của các tướng sĩ. (The king praised the brave fighting spirit of the generals and soldiers.)
  • Tướng sĩ một lòng phò tá vị minh quân. (The military officers were of one mind in supporting the enlightened sovereign.)

• Noun (Physiognomist):

  • Ông cụ là một tướng sĩ nổi tiếng, nhiều người đến xin ông xem tướng số. (The old man was a famous physiognomist; many people came to ask him to read their fortunes.)

Advanced Usage

• The military meaning is primarily found in historical, literary, or formal contexts related to feudal Vietnam or classical Sino-Vietnamese texts. It evokes a sense of the entire martial hierarchy and its warriors.
• The physiognomy meaning is also classical and less common in modern daily speech, often appearing in folk tales or historical narratives.

Variants and Related Words

• Tướng (n): General, commander; or appearance/features (in physiognomy).
• Sĩ (n): Soldier, warrior, or scholar (in historical contexts).
• Tướng soái (n): High-ranking commanders, supreme commanders.
• Tướng lĩnh (n): Generals, military leaders (modern term for high-ranking officers).
• Binh sĩ (n): Soldiers, troops.

Synonyms

• Military meaning: Officers and men, the military corps, the army's commanders and fighters.
• Physiognomy meaning: Fortune-teller (specifically by face reading), physiognomist, face reader.

Related Idioms

• Tướng sĩ đồng tâm: (The generals and soldiers are) united in purpose. This idiom emphasizes military unity and shared resolve.
  • Nhờ tướng sĩ đồng tâm, quân ta đã giành chiến thắng. (Thanks to the united purpose of the officers and troops, our army achieved victory.)