đằng la
Definition
Noun (archaic):
- Concubine; woman of secondary rank: In historical and literary contexts, "đằng la" refers to a concubine, a woman in a secondary or subordinate marital position.
Noun (botanical, archaic):
- Climbing plant; vine: In classical texts, "đằng la" can also refer to a type of climbing or twining plant, though this usage is very rare in modern Vietnamese.
Usage Examples
- Noun (archaic):
- Trong cung có nhiều đằng la. (There were many concubines in the palace.)
- Thân phận đằng la thường bấp bênh. (The status of a concubine was often precarious.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively found in classical literature, historical texts, or poetry. It is not used in contemporary everyday language.
Variants and Related Words
- Thiếp (n): A more common classical and literary term for concubine.
- Vương phi (n): Royal consort or concubine of a prince/king.
- Dây leo (n): The modern, general term for a climbing plant or vine.
Synonyms
- Concubine: A woman who lives with a man but has lower status than a wife.
- Secondary wife: A wife of inferior legal or social status.
Notes on Usage
- Register: This is a highly literary and archaic term. Modern readers will likely encounter it only in historical novels or classical poetry.
- Primary Meaning: In most historical references, the meaning of "concubine" is dominant. The botanical meaning is exceedingly rare and may be a metaphorical or specific classical reference.
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(cũ) Climbing plant; concubine
