thất trung

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Disloyal; unfaithful: The primary meaning of "thất trung" describes the act of failing to maintain absolute loyalty or fidelity, especially to a ruler, sovereign, or a higher cause. It implies a breach of the fundamental duty of allegiance.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bị buộc tội thất trung với triều đình, vị tướng bị cách chức. (Accused of being disloyal to the court, the general was dismissed.)
  • Hành động của hắn bị xem là thất trung. (His action was considered an act of unfaithfulness.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is deeply rooted in historical and feudal contexts concerning the Confucian moral imperative of loyalty ("trung") from a subject to a lord. In modern usage, it can be applied metaphorically to describe betrayal in contexts of principle, organization, or country.

Variants and Related Words

• Bất trung (adj): synonym for disloyal, unfaithful. Often used interchangeably with "thất trung."
  • Kẻ bất trung không bao giờ được tin cậy. (A disloyal person can never be trusted.)

Synonyms

• Disloyal: failing to be loyal to a person, country, or cause.
• Unfaithful: not adhering to vows, allegiance, or duty; treacherous.
• Treacherous: guilty of or involving betrayal of trust.

Related Idioms

• Thất trung thất hiếu: to be both disloyal (to the sovereign) and unfilial (to one's parents). This idiom describes a profound failure in the two paramount Confucian virtues.
  • Theo quan niệm xưa, thất trung thất hiếu là tội lớn nhất. (According to old beliefs, being disloyal and unfilial was the greatest sin.)