đốc lí

Ông đốc lí đang đứng trước tòa thị chính.

Definition

1. Noun (Historical):
   • Mayor: The chief administrative official of a town or city during the French colonial period in Vietnam.
   • Municipal Office: The building or administrative office of the mayor.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy từng là đốc lí của Hà Nội. (He was once the mayor of Hanoi.)
  • Công văn được gửi đến tòa đốc lí. (The document was sent to the mayor's office.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is largely historical and administrative, primarily used in contexts relating to the French colonial era. It is now considered archaic, with modern equivalents like "thị trưởng" (mayor) or "ủy ban nhân dân" (people's committee) being used.

Variants and Related Words

• Tòa đốc lí (n): The city hall or municipal office building.
  • Tòa đốc lí cũ nay đã trở thành bảo tàng. (The old city hall has now become a museum.)

Synonyms

• Mayor: The elected head of a city or town.
• Chief Magistrate: A civil officer administering the law.

Notes on Usage

• The word "đốc lí" is a direct loan translation from the French "maire." Its use today is almost exclusively found in historical texts, documents, or discussions about the colonial administration. It is important to distinguish this historical term from modern Vietnamese administrative titles.