đạo quân
Definition
- Noun:
- An army: A large, organized military force trained for war, especially on land. This is the primary and most common meaning, referring to the entire body of troops under a single command.
- A corps / a column / a contingent: Can refer to a specific subdivision or detachment of a larger military force, often with a particular mission or operating in a specific area.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Đạo quân viễn chinh đã tiến vào thành phố. (The expeditionary army entered the city.)
- Một đạo quân lớn đang được tập hợp ở biên giới. (A large army is being assembled at the border.)
- Họ phái một đạo quân nhỏ đi trinh sát. (They dispatched a small contingent to scout.)
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a formal or literary tone and is commonly used in historical, military, or strategic contexts.
- It can be used metaphorically to describe a very large, organized group of people or things, though this is less common and more figurative.
- Một đạo quân công nhân xây dựng cây cầu mới. (An army of workers built the new bridge.)
Variants and Related Words
- Quân đội (n): The military, armed forces. A broader, more institutional term.
- Đoàn quân (n): A troop, a corps. Very similar in meaning to , often used interchangeably.
- Binh đoàn (n): A military corps, a formation.
Synonyms
- Army: A large organized military force.
- Corps: A main subdivision of an army.
- Contingent: A group of troops contributed to a larger force.
- Force: A body of troops or soldiers.
Related Idioms
- Đạo quân thứ năm: "The fifth column." Refers to a group of people who secretly undermine a larger group or nation from within, often in collusion with an external enemy.
- Cảnh sát phát hiện một đạo quân thứ năm hoạt động trong nước. (The police uncovered a fifth column operating within the country.)