Definition

1. Adjective (used for a girl or woman):
   • Much wooed, much proposed to: Describes a young woman who receives many marriage proposals or has many suitors seeking her hand in marriage. The term implies she is highly sought after as a bride, often due to her perceived qualities, beauty, or virtue.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cô ấy đẹp và giỏi giang nên rất đắt chồng. (She is beautiful and capable, so she is much wooed.)
  • Ở làng này, con gái nhà ấy nổi tiếng là đắt chồng. (In this village, the daughters of that family are famous for being much proposed to.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in the context of traditional matchmaking or marriage prospects. It carries a somewhat dated or formal connotation and is often used by older generations or in descriptive narratives.

Word Origin and Notes

• Literal Breakdown: The adjective is a compound of "đắt" (meaning "expensive" or "in high demand") and "chồng" (meaning "husband"). Thus, it figuratively means "in high demand for a husband."
• Cultural Note: The term reflects a traditional perspective where a woman's marital prospects were a significant measure of her social value. Modern usage may view the term as old-fashioned.

Synonyms

• Sought-after: Wanted by many people.
• Much-courted: Receiving a lot of romantic attention with marriage intent.

Antonyms

• Ế: (Colloquial Vietnamese) To be left on the shelf; to have difficulty finding a partner or husband.

1. Much wooed, much proposed to (nói về cô gái)