ế chồng
Definition
- Adjective (for women):
- To be left on the shelf / To be an old maid: A colloquial and often dated term describing a woman who remains unmarried past the perceived usual age for marriage. It carries a societal implication that she has been "left over" or passed by.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Cô ấy sợ bị ế chồng. (She is afraid of being left on the shelf.)
- Theo quan niệm cũ, phụ nữ ngoài 30 mà chưa lập gia đình thì bị coi là ế chồng. (According to old beliefs, a woman over 30 who is not yet married is considered an old maid.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in a societal or familial context to express pressure or concern about a woman's marital status. Its usage is generally considered outdated and potentially offensive, as it defines a woman's value by her marital status.
Variants and Related Words
Ế vợ (adj., for men): The male equivalent, meaning a man who remains unmarried past a perceived usual age.
- Anh ta lo lắng mình sẽ ế vợ. (He is worried he will be left a bachelor.)
Ế (adj./v.): The root word meaning "to be unsold" (for goods) or "to be left over/unwanted." It is applied colloquially to people to mean "to be single" or "unmatched."
- Mấy món hàng này bị ế. (These items are unsold.)
- Anh ấy vẫn còn ế. (He is still single.)
Synonyms
- To be an old maid: A traditional, often pejorative term for an unmarried woman.
- To be left on the shelf: An idiomatic expression with a similar meaning.
- To be a spinster: A dated and potentially offensive term.
Related Idioms
- Làm thân con ế: Literally "to live the life of a leftover," meaning to live a solitary, unmarried life.
- Cô ấy nói mình không muốn làm thân con ế. (She said she doesn't want to live a solitary life.)
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(dành cho đàn bà) to be on the shelf
