Definition

1. Noun (Archaic):
   • The sovereign's face; the royal countenance: This term directly refers to the face or visage of a king or emperor. It is an honorific and formal term used in historical or literary contexts to show utmost respect for the monarch.
   • The sovereign; the king (by metonymy): By extension, the term is used as a respectful reference to the king or emperor himself, using a part (his face) to represent the whole person.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bá quan đều cúi đầu không dám nhìn thẳng thiên nhan. (All the officials bowed their heads, not daring to look directly at the royal countenance.)
  • Mong thiên nhan minh xét. (I hope Your Majesty will consider and judge clearly.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively found in historical texts, classical literature, or in stylized speech depicting feudal times. It is not used in modern, everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Long nhan (n): Another archaic term with an identical meaning: the face of the emperor; the emperor.
  • Long nhan thất sắc. (The emperor's face turned pale with anger.)

Synonyms

• The king; the emperor; the monarch: The sovereign ruler.
• The royal presence: A formal term for the king's person.

Notes on Usage

• Register: This is a highly formal, literary, and archaic honorific. Its use today is primarily in historical novels, period dramas, or poetic language.
• Context: It is used by subjects when speaking about or addressing the emperor. Modern Vietnamese uses terms like "nhà vua," "hoàng đế," or "quốc vương" instead.