thế thần
Definition
- Noun:
- A mandarin from a hereditary official family: A government official belonging to a family that has held high-ranking official positions for several generations.
- A powerful and influential person: An individual, often from an established lineage, who wields significant power and influence.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông ta là một thế thần trong triều đình. (He is a powerful mandarin from a hereditary lineage in the court.)
- Gia tộc họ có truyền thống là những thế thần. (Their clan has a tradition of being influential hereditary officials.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thế thần" is archaic and is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe the entrenched power of certain aristocratic bureaucratic families in feudal systems, such as in dynastic Vietnam or China.
Variants and Related Words
- Thần thế (n): Power, influence, and authority. While "thế thần" refers to the person, "thần thế" refers to the abstract concept of their power.
- Ông ấy có thần thế lớn trong giới chính trị. (He has great influence in political circles.)
Synonyms
- Influential mandarin: A high-ranking official with significant sway.
- Scion of an official dynasty: A descendant from a long line of officials.
- Power broker: A person who exerts influence through status and connections.
Notes on Meaning
- The term combines "thế" (generation, position) and "thần" (official, mandarin), literally meaning "generational official." It implies that power and office have become entrenched within a specific family lineage over time.
- It often carries a connotation of established, sometimes unassailable, authority rooted in family history rather than solely personal merit.