tributary state
Pays to survive
A tributary state is a nation or territory that maintains nominal independence while paying tribute—money, goods, or military support—to a more powerful state in exchange for protection or autonomy.
The arrangement acknowledges subordination without full annexation: China's traditional tributary states included Korea and Vietnam.
The term appears mostly in historical contexts.
- protectorateGuarded semi-autonomous territory
- dependencyState of needing support
- subjectMatter under discussion
- fealtyPledged devotion to authority
- sphere of influenceZone of dominant authority
homage · colony · allegiance · overlordship · subordinate · under the yoke · subservience · foreign rule · feudalism · fiefdom · annexed · kingdom · submission · realm · sovereignty · conquest · province · dominion
- territoriesprovince, region, country, colony, dominion
- Joseon KoreaJoseon dynasty, hangeul, civil service exam, civil service exams, Neo-Confucianism
- tributary relationsvassal, suzerainty, protectorate, protectorates, investiture
- empireempire, emperor, empress, imperial, imperial regalia
- social groupsdemographic groups, community, clan, ethnic groups, age groups
- colonialismcolony, colonization, colonial rule, colonial powers, colonizer
tributary statesovereign state
Fully independent country
free state · sovereign nation · great power · hegemon · superpower
tributary statesuzerain
Lord over vassals
hegemon · imperial power · liege · mother country · colonial power
state, tribute, states, tributary, tributary states, tributaries