triều cống

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pay tribute: The primary historical meaning refers to the act of a subordinate ruler or state formally presenting valuable gifts (tribute) to a superior sovereign, such as an emperor, as a sign of submission, allegiance, or to secure peaceful relations.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Các nước chư hầu phải thường xuyên triều cống cho hoàng đế. (Vassal states had to regularly pay tribute to the emperor.)
  • Lễ vật triều cống thường bao gồm vàng bạc, lụa là, và các sản vật quý hiếm. (Tribute offerings often included gold, silk, and rare local products.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Figurative Use: In modern contexts, "triều cống" is almost exclusively used in historical discussions or figuratively to describe an act of excessive flattery or submission to a powerful person or entity.
  • Hành động đó chẳng khác gì triều cống thời hiện đại. (That action is no different from paying tribute in modern times.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cống nạp (v): to offer tribute; a close synonym often used interchangeably with "triều cống."
• Triều đình (n): the royal court, the imperial court. This is the institution to which tribute was often paid.
• Chư hầu (n): vassal state, tributary state. This is the entity that performs the act of "triều cống."

Synonyms

• Pay tribute: To offer gifts as a sign of respect or submission.
• Offer tribute: A formal presentation of gifts to a superior.
• Submit: To yield to authority (captures the political meaning).

Related Concepts

• Tribute System: The historical framework in East Asia where surrounding states acknowledged the supremacy of the Chinese emperor through formal rituals, including "triều cống."
• Suzerainty: A relationship where a dominant state controls the foreign affairs of a subordinate state, often maintained through the practice of paying tribute.