thường dân
Definition
- Noun:
- Civilian; commoner; ordinary citizen: A person who is not an active member of the military, police, or other armed services. This is the most common and direct meaning.
- Commoner; plebeian: A person who does not belong to a ruling class, nobility, or hold any official government rank or title. This meaning emphasizes social or political status rather than military affiliation.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Khu vực này chỉ dành cho thường dân, quân nhân đi lối khác. (This area is for civilians only; military personnel must use another route.)
- Trong chế độ phong kiến, thường dân và quý tộc có địa vị rất khác biệt. (In the feudal regime, commoners and nobles had very different statuses.)
- Là một thường dân, ông ấy không có quyền lực chính trị nào. (As an ordinary citizen, he holds no political power.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in contrast to specific groups:
- Thường dân vs. quân nhân / bộ đội: civilian vs. military personnel.
- Thường dân vs. quan chức / viên chức: commoner vs. official/functionary.
- Thường dân vs. quý tộc: commoner vs. nobility.
Variants and Related Words
- Dân thường (n): A synonym with identical meaning (civilian, commoner). The word order is reversed.
- Anh ta chỉ là một dân thường. (He is just an ordinary civilian.)
Synonyms
- Civilian: A person not in the armed services or police.
- Commoner: A person without noble rank or title.
- Private citizen: An individual not holding public office or official position.
Related Concepts
- Dân sự (adj): Civil, relating to ordinary citizens and their legal matters (e.g., - civil law). While related, dân sự is primarily an adjective, whereas thường dân is a noun.
- Nhân dân (n): The people, the populace. This is a broader, more collective term than the individual-focused thường dân.