thầy kiện
Definition
- Noun (Historical/Archaic):
- A lawyer; an attorney; a barrister. This term was used in the past to refer to a legal professional who represents clients in court, argues cases, and provides legal counsel. It is an older, now largely obsolete, Vietnamese term.
- A litigator. Specifically denotes a lawyer who specializes in taking legal action and conducting lawsuits.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong phiên tòa xưa, thầy kiện đã bào chữa rất hùng hồn cho thân chủ. (In the old court session, the lawyer defended his client very eloquently.)
- Cụ ấy từng là một thầy kiện nổi tiếng ở Hà Nội thời Pháp thuộc. (He was once a famous lawyer in Hanoi during the French colonial period.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thầy kiện" carries a historical and formal nuance. It is rarely used in contemporary legal or everyday language, having been replaced by the modern terms "luật sư" (lawyer) or "trạng sư" (barrister/advocate). Its use today typically evokes a pre-modern or colonial-era context.
Variants and Related Words
- Thầy cãi (n, archaic): A synonym for , also meaning a lawyer or advocate.
- Ông cụ làm nghề thầy cãi suốt 30 năm. (The old man worked as a lawyer for 30 years.)
Synonyms
- Lawyer: A general term for a person who practices or studies law.
- Attorney: A person appointed to act for another in legal matters.
- Barrister (UK/Commonwealth): A lawyer entitled to practice as an advocate in higher courts.
- Advocate: A professional who argues cases in court.
Related Idioms
- While there are no direct idioms with "thầy kiện", its modern equivalent "luật sư" appears in expressions like:
- "Miệng luật sư": (Lit. "Lawyer's mouth") Refers to someone who is very eloquent, persuasive, or skilled in argument.
- Anh ta nói năng như miệng luật sư vậy. (He speaks like he has a lawyer's mouth.)