thông lại
Definition
- Noun:
- Clerk: A historical term for a low-ranking administrative clerk or scribe who handled paperwork and documents in the offices of provincial or district administrations during the French colonial period in Vietnam.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông nội tôi từng làm thông lại ở phủ huyện. (My grandfather used to work as a clerk in the district office.)
- Công việc của một thông lại chủ yếu là chép và quản lý giấy tờ. (The work of a clerk was mainly copying and managing documents.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thông lại" is now largely historical and archaic. It is primarily encountered in historical texts, literature, or discussions about the colonial-era administrative system.
Variants and Related Words
- Thư lại (n): Another historical term for a clerk or scribe, often used similarly to "thông lại".
- Chức vụ thư lại cũng phổ biến trong bộ máy hành chính cũ. (The position of scribe was also common in the old administrative apparatus.)
Synonyms
- Clerk: An office worker who handles records or accounts.
- Scribe: A person who copies out documents.
- Administrative clerk: A clerk working in an administrative office.
Notes on Usage
- "Thông lại" is not used in modern Vietnamese to refer to contemporary clerical or administrative jobs. Modern equivalents would be "nhân viên văn phòng" (office worker) or "thư ký" (secretary/clerk).