Definition

Verb: - To owe allegiance to, to submit to: To formally acknowledge someone as a sovereign or superior power and pledge loyalty or obedience, often in a political or feudal context. It implies a relationship where one party accepts a subordinate position.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Nhiều nước nhỏ đã phải thần phục đế chế hùng mạnh. (Many small countries had to submit to the powerful empire.)
  • Sau trận chiến, bộ tộc đó tuyên bố thần phục vị vua mới. (After the battle, that tribe declared allegiance to the new king.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Formal Context: This word is primarily used in historical, literary, or formal contexts to describe feudal, imperial, or vassal relationships. It is less common in everyday modern conversation.
  • Triều đình ấy đã thần phục triều đình trung ương từ nhiều thế kỷ trước. (That court pledged allegiance to the central court many centuries ago.)

Variants and Related Words

• Phục tùng (verb): To obey, to submit. This is a more general and commonly used term for obedience without the specific connotation of feudal allegiance.
• Quy phục (verb): To submit, to yield. Often used in the context of surrendering or yielding to authority or power.
• Thần dân (noun): Subject (of a monarch). Refers to the people who owe allegiance.
• Chư hầu (noun): Vassal, feudatory. Refers to the subordinate state or lord.

Synonyms

• Quy thuận: To submit, to pledge obedience.
• Đầu hàng: To surrender (often used in a military context).
• Phục tùng: To obey, to be submissive.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb, 'thần phục' does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Its meaning is contained within the single word.

Related Idioms

• Bề tôi trung thành: A loyal subject. This phrase describes the state of being a faithful subordinate, which is the result of .
• Nước lớn thần phục nước nhỏ: (Literally: A large country submits to a small one). This is an idiomatic expression used to describe a highly unusual or paradoxical situation where the powerful submits to the weak.

verb

1. to owe allegiance to, to submit to