thuộc lại

Một người lính thuộc lại đang đứng gác.

Definition

1. Noun (Historical):
   • Subaltern official: A low-ranking clerk or administrative officer in the traditional Vietnamese mandarin bureaucracy, typically serving under a higher-ranking mandarin.
   • Subordinate: A minor official in a government office or administrative unit in historical contexts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông tổ của tôi từng là một viên thuộc lại trong phủ quan. (My ancestor was a subaltern clerk in the mandarin's office.)
  • Công việc của các thuộc lại thường là ghi chép sổ sách. (The work of the subaltern officials was often bookkeeping.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is archaic and is primarily found in historical texts, literature, or discussions about Vietnam's feudal administrative system. It denotes a specific social and bureaucratic rank.

Variants and Related Words

• Lại mục (n): Another historical term for clerks or minor officials.
• Thư lại (n): A scribe or clerk, often used in similar historical contexts.

Synonyms

• Clerk: A person employed to keep records or accounts.
• Minor official: A lower-level administrative officer.
• Subordinate: A person under the authority or control of another within an organization.

Notes on Usage

• Archaic Term: "Thuộc lại" is not used in modern administrative or everyday language. Its use is confined to historical description.
• Context: It specifically refers to the bureaucratic structure of pre-modern Vietnam, often during the dynastic periods.