The Vietnamese word "hộ lại" refers to the role of a village registrar. This is an official position in a village or community responsible for keeping important records, particularly those related to births, deaths, and marriages. The term has an older or more traditional connotation, as village registrars were more common in earlier times.
In more advanced discussions, you might encounter "hộ lại" in contexts relating to Vietnamese cultural heritage, historical governance, or when discussing the evolution of administrative roles in rural settings.
While "hộ lại" specifically refers to the village registrar, you may find that in different contexts or regions, similar terms might be used to refer to record-keeping officials in urban areas or different administrative systems.