thiên lao

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Imperial prison: A prison specifically established and controlled by a monarch or emperor to detain individuals who have committed crimes against the state or the royal authority. It refers to a penal institution in historical, feudal contexts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Nhà vua ra lệnh tống giam kẻ phản nghịch vào thiên lao. (The king ordered the rebel to be imprisoned in the imperial prison.)
  • Thiên lao thời xưa thường rất khắc nghiệt. (Imperial prisons in ancient times were often very harsh.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "thiên lao" is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe the concept of royal incarceration in pre-modern Vietnamese society. It is not used for contemporary prisons.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngục (n): A more general and common term for "prison" or "jail."
• Lao tù (n): A formal term for "prison" or "imprisonment."
• Nhà tù (n): The modern, standard term for "prison."

Synonyms

• Royal dungeon: An underground cell or prison in a castle, often associated with monarchical authority.
• Imperial jail: A place of confinement under the direct control of an emperor.

Related Idioms

• Vào thiên lao như đi cày: An old idiom suggesting that entering the imperial prison was as common or inevitable as going to plough the fields, possibly commenting on harsh rule or frequent punishments. (Note: This is a constructed example to illustrate potential historical idiom usage, as specific, widely attested idioms with "thiên lao" are rare in common modern reference.)