Definition

1. Noun (Historical/Official Title):
   • Deputy official / Assistant official: A mid-level civil service position in the historical Vietnamese mandarin bureaucracy, ranking below a "tham biện" (counselor) and often involved in administrative assistance and departmental duties.
   • Clerk / Civil service clerk: In a broader historical context, it can refer to a clerk or functionary within the civil service apparatus.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy từng giữ chức tham tá trong bộ máy hành chính triều Nguyễn. (He once held the position of deputy official in the Nguyen dynasty's administrative apparatus.)
  • Công việc của một vị tham tá thường liên quan đến giấy tờ và thư ký. (The work of a tham tá often involved paperwork and secretarial duties.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is largely archaic and is primarily encountered in historical texts, documents, or discussions about Vietnam's feudal and colonial-era administration. It is not used for modern civil service positions.

Variants and Related Words

• Tham biện (n): A higher-ranking counselor or advisory official in the historical bureaucracy.
• Quan lại (n): The general term for mandarins or officials in historical Vietnam.

Synonyms

• Deputy official
• Civil clerk
• Functionary (historical context)
• Administrative assistant (in the historical bureaucratic sense)

Notes on Usage

• Register: The word "tham tá" is formal and historical. Its use in contemporary language is very rare and would only be for specific historical reference.
• Context: It is crucial to understand this term within the context of Vietnam's pre-modern administrative systems. Do not use it to refer to modern government jobs.