Definition

1. Noun:
   • Personal guard / Bodyguard: A soldier or guard whose primary duty is to provide close protection to a high-ranking official, dignitary, or military commander. The term emphasizes a direct, personal protective relationship.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Vị tướng luôn có đội thân binh tinh nhuệ bảo vệ. (The general always has an elite team of personal guards protecting him.)
  • Thân binh của quan lớn canh giữ nghiêm ngặt cổng thành. (The dignitary's personal guards vigilantly guarded the city gate.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is historical and formal, often found in contexts describing feudal, royal, or military hierarchies of the past. It implies a higher level of loyalty and proximity than a regular soldier.

Variants and Related Words

• Vệ sĩ (n): A modern, general term for a bodyguard or security guard, not necessarily military.
• Cận vệ (n): Guard, escort; a close protection officer, often used in both historical and modern military/police contexts.

Synonyms

• Bodyguard: A person employed to protect an individual.
• Personal guard: A guard assigned for personal protection.
• Retainer: A historical term for a servant or soldier attached to a household.

Related Idioms

• : To act as someone's personal guard or protector (can be used figuratively).
  • Anh ấy trung thành như thể làm thân binh cho ông chủ. (He is as loyal as if he were the boss's personal guard.)