vua chúa
Definition
- Noun:
- Kings and lords / monarchs and nobles: A collective term referring to the ruling class in historical feudal or monarchical societies, encompassing both the supreme ruler (king/emperor) and the high-ranking aristocracy.
- The monarchy / royalty: Refers to the institution of royal power and those who hold it, often implying absolute authority and hereditary rule.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Thời phong kiến, vua chúa có quyền lực tối cao. (In feudal times, kings and lords held supreme power.)
- Lịch sử ghi lại cuộc sống xa hoa của vua chúa. (History records the lavish lives of monarchs.)
- Vua chúa thời xưa thường sống trong các cung điện. (Monarchs of old often lived in palaces.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in historical or literary contexts to discuss systems of power, governance, and social hierarchy in pre-modern Vietnam and similar societies.
- It can carry a critical connotation when discussing inequality, oppression, or the excesses of the ruling class.
Variants and Related Words
- Nhà vua (n): The king; the emperor. Specifically refers to the singular sovereign.
- Nhà vua ra chiếu chỉ. (The king issued a decree.)
- Hoàng đế (n): Emperor. A title for a monarch of an empire.
- Bậc đế vương (n): A literary term for monarchs, emphasizing their royal stature.
Synonyms
- Royalty: People of royal blood or status.
- Monarchy: The king or queen and their family; the system of rule by a monarch.
- Sovereigns: Supreme rulers, especially monarchs.
- The Crown: A metonym for the institution of the monarchy.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Con vua thì lại làm vua: A proverb meaning "the king's son will become king," similar to "like father, like son," often used to comment on hereditary privilege or succession.
- Trong chế độ cũ, con vua thì lại làm vua. (In the old regime, the king's son would become king.)
- Phép vua thua lệ làng: A proverb meaning "the king's law yields to village customs," highlighting the traditional strength of local customs over central authority.