Definition

1. 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.