History

Feudal era/society/system

Thời kì/xã hội/hệ thống phong kiến

Eg:Women’s roles in the feudal era were restricted by Confucian values and social norms.

In the feudal era, power was concentrated in the hands of kings and nobles.

Vietnam was under a feudal system for many centuries before becoming a republic.

Line of succession

Hàng/Dòng kế vị

Eg:During the feudal era, the line of succession was often decided by bloodline, not competence.

The royal family updated the line of succession to include female heirs equally.

Ascend the throne

Lên ngôi

Menelaus became king of Sparta through his marriage to Helen, the daughter of King Tyndareus. When Paris of Troy abducted Helen, Menelaus lost not only his wife but also a key source of his political legitimacy in Sparta

The prince ascended the throne at the age of eight

Collective/cultural amnesia

lãng quên tập thể về quá khứ/văn hóa

Eg:Globalization has led to a kind of cultural amnesia where traditional art forms are replaced by Western pop culture.

There seems to be collective amnesia about how hard life used to be for women before they had the right to vote.

National reunification

Thống nhất đất nước(30/4/1975)

Eg:Memorial sites built after national reunification honor those who contributed to independence and the liberation of the South.

National reunification continues to shape Vietnam’s identity, reminding younger generations of the sacrifices that built the nation’s present stability.

After national reunification in 1975, Vietnam began rebuilding its war-torn economy and stabilizing social life across the country.

Renewal period

Thời kỳ Đổi mới(Đại hội VI năm 1986)

EgAfter the renewal period beginning in 1986, Vietnam opened its economy, encouraged private businesses, and strengthened international relations

Many universities are undergoing a renewal period to improve teaching quality and integrate global educational standards.

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Imperialism

Chủ nghĩa đế quốc(chính sách/hệ thống trong đó 1 quốc gia mở rộng quyền lực,ảnh hưởng/kiểm soát các quốc gia khác, thường qua chiến tranh, chinh phục,/kiểm soát kinh tế, chính trị)

E.g.:Sengupta noted. “ Madame Nguyen Thi Binh stood before the world and gave voice not only to the aspirations of the Vietnamese people, but also to all those who fought against imperialism and for peace.”

Under Comrade Romesh Chandra's leadership, the World Peace Council became a central force in the global movement against imperialism and for peace and national independence

Populism

Chủ nghĩa dân túy(ý tưởng và hoạt động chính trị nhằm thu hút sự ủng hộ của người dân bằng cách đáp ứng những mong muốn/nhu cầu trực tiếp của họ,đôi khi bỏ qua các nguyên tắc lâu dài/cấu trúc chính trị phức tạp)

Eg:Analysts warn that populism can exploit fears rather than provide effective solutions

The rise of populism in Europe has reshaped national elections in recent years.

Have its origin in

Có nguồn gốc/xuất phát từ=originate/stem/derive from

Eg:Many English words have their origin in Latin.

The festival has its origin in a centuries-old harvest celebration.

Modern democracy has its origin in ancient Greece, where citizens first practiced direct voting.

Date back+time

Có niên đại từ

Eg:Archaeologists discovered a set of wooden tools that date back to the 14th century, offering new insight into daily life at that time.

The guide told us that the stone temple dates back more than a thousand years and was built to honor an ancient king.

The curator explained that the bronze sword dates back to the early Iron Age, long before written history began.

Civil war

Nội chiến><Resistance war:Kháng chiến

Eg:Civil wars are often fueled by political corruption, ethnic tension, and competition for natural resources.

The Spanish Civil War weakened the country for decades, as communities were torn apart by ideological battles between nationalists and republicans.

Curator

Người phụ trách,quản lý,gìn giữ và sắp xếp các bộ sưu tập trong bảo tàng, phòng triển lãm,thư viện, phòng lưu trữ/tổ chức triển lãm nghệ thuật

Eg:The curator unlocked a temperature-controlled room where rare manuscripts from the 13th century were preserved.

The art curator selected ten paintings that explored the theme of loneliness in modern cities, creating a powerful emotional narrative for visitors.

The curator carefully restored a 2,000-year-old bronze helmet, making sure every detail remained true to its original form

Inscription

Văn tự(chữ khắc/ghi mang tính lưu dấu)

Eg:Scholars are trying to decipher the inscription found inside the temple.

The book came with a handwritten inscription from the author.

Inside the ring was an inscription that read “Forever, 1998.”

Exile(v)

Sống lưu vong,lưu đày

Eg:Phan Châu Trinh co-founded the Duy Tan movement, was arrested by the French and exiled to Con Dao, and later continued his activities in France. Through essays and poetry, he spread progressive ideas that helped awaken Vietnamese society.

He was exiled for opposing the government.

Antique

Đồ cổ có giá trị lịch sử và sưu tầm

Eg;Experts confirmed the vase is a rare antique from the Ming dynasty

Many antiques lose value if they are poorly restored

He inherited several valuable antiques from his grandmother

Archived material

✨tư liệu được lưu trữ

Journalists relied on archived material to verify historical facts

Much of the documentary was created using archived material

The museum displays archived material related to the women’s rights movement

Duel(n)

⚔cuộc đấu tay đôi trang trọng giữa 2 người dùng kiếm/súng, được sắp xếp trước để “giải quyết danh dự” hay tranh chấp

Alexander Pushkin, one of Russia’s greatest poets, died after a duel with his love rival, Dantes, fought over Natalia

He challenged his rival to a duel to defend his honor.

In the past, gentlemen settled disputes through a duel

Imperial authority

Quyền lực tối cao của Hoàng đế

Eg:Imperial authority is strongest when power, legitimacy, and obedience align.

The fall of imperial authority marked the transition to a new political order.

The emperor balanced military power with imperial authority

Civil service examination system

Hệ thống khoa cử

The civil service examination system turned education into political power.

The system demonstrates how merit-based selection can shape governance

Modern civil service exams are inspired by the civil service examination system of imperial China.

Rallying cry

Lời hiệu triệu

Before launching the uprising against Chinese domination,Hai Bà Trưng issued a rallying cry that united people across Vietnam in the fight for national freedom and independence.

Hashtags often function as rallying cries in digital activism.

Social media can turn a simple phrase into a global rallying cry overnight.

Uprising/rebellion

Khởi nghĩa/nổi dậy

The Lam Sơn uprising not only ended Chinese domination but also ushered in a new era of national independence under the Later Lê dynasty, founded by Lê Lợi from Thanh Hóa

Buccaneer

🏴‍☠cướp biển có yếu tố chính trị,chiến tranh,quyền lực nhà nước phía sau trong TK 17–18#Pirate: cướp biển vô pháp

The buccaneer is not just a pirate of the sea, but a symbol of rebellion against order.

Buccaneers played a significant role in naval warfare in the Caribbean during the 17th century.

Some buccaneers were secretly supported by European governments to weaken enemy trade routes

The course of sth

Tiến trình,diễn biến,chiều hướng phát triển của sự việc theo thời gian.

Weather conditions influenced the course of the war.

Revolutions often redirect the course of history

The invention of the internet changed the course of history

Juncture

Thời điểm bước ngoặt quan trọng=a particular point in time

The invention of the internet marked a pivotal juncture in human communication.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a historic juncture in European politics.

At such a juncture, hesitation could prove disastrous.

Toe the line

Tuân thủ quy tắc,làm đúng theo yêu cầu,không vượt giới hạn

In modern workplaces, employees often toe the line to maintain stability, earn their manager’s trust, and secure their positions

In the feudal era, toeing the line was compulsory. If you chose to challenge it, your family could be affected by your decision.

After the warning, he started to toe the line.

Class war

Đấu tranh giải c

Some critics said the Occupy Wall Street movement reflected a modern class war between the “1%” and the rest of society.

Many factory strikes during the Industrial Revolution were seen as part of a growing class war between workers and factory owners.

The Russian Revolution turned into a full-scale class war as workers and peasants rose up against the ruling elite.

Fall into place

When events or details that you did not understand before fall into place, they become easy to understand:

When the teacher explained the formula again, everything fell into place

After secret documents were released, historians said the decisions during World War II finally fell into place.

When scientists discovered the structure of DNA, many biological mysteries fell into place.

Purge

Thanh trừng/loại bỏ người bất đồng

In Night of the Long Knives,Adolf Hitler purged rivals within the Nazi Part

In Cultural Revolution,Mao Zedong purged many officials and intellectualsy

In Great Purge,Joseph Stalin đã purge thousands of political opponents

Political pawn

♟👑con tốt/cờ chính trị

When Trần Cảnh ascended the throne at a young age, he largely functioned as a political pawn, while real authority rested in the hands of his father Trần Thừa and his uncle Trần Thủ Độ.

During the Later Lê Restoration period, the Trịnh lords held the actual political power, while the Lê emperors served mainly as symbolic rulers and political pawns used to legitimize the regime and mobilize loyal scholars and military leaders against rival factions such as the Mạc and Nguyễn.

Faction

⚔🏛phe phái(nhóm nhỏ trong 1 tổ chức lớn có quan điểm/lợi ích khác với nhóm chính)

Eg:Empires fall not only from invasion, but from factions within.

Greek city-states were often divided into factions

A conservative faction resisted reform

Foe

An enemy#An ally

Romulus and Remus became rivals and ultimately foes as they competed for power and authority in the founding of their city.

Medieval knights often fought their foes in duels

Napoleon Bonaparte fought many European foes

Intertwined

🧵đan xen,gắn chặt với nhau

The histories of England and Scotland are deeply intertwined.

The life of Troilus was deeply intertwined with the destiny of Troy. To bring about the city’s downfall, Achilles slew him in the sacred temple of Apollo.

Their families have been intertwined for generations.

Staunch follower/Catholic/ally

Người ủng hộ/tín đồ Công giáo/đồng minh trung thành

Lê Thánh Tông was supported by many staunch followers, especially Confucian scholars and reformers, whose loyalty strengthened his rule and contributed to his reputation as one of Vietnam’s greatest monarchs

Mary, Queen of Scots was a staunch Catholic in a Protestant kingdom.

The nation was a staunch ally during the war

The Renaissance

Thời kỳ Phục Hưng(tái sinh tri thức cổ điển Hy Lạp và La Mã,thức tỉnh tư duy con người và sự phát triển mạnh của nghệ thuật và KH)

Italy was the birthplace of the Renaissance.

The Renaissance changed European culture forever

The Medici family were influential patrons of the Renaissance, providing generous financial support to great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael

Chivalry

lý tưởng đạo đức của hiệp sĩ thời Trung Cổ gồm honour,courage,loyalty,kindness to the weak and respect for women

The novel describes the ideals of medieval chivalry.

The king rewarded the knight for his chivalry and courage.

The hero showed great chivalry in protecting the villagers.

Scribe

Người chép tay tài liệu(trước khi có máy in)

A scribe does not create knowledge, but ensures it survives time.

Scribes played a crucial role in preserving knowledge before the invention of printing.

In medieval times, scribes worked in monasteries.