Definition

1. Noun:
   • Licensed quarters; red-light district: A historical term referring to a designated district or neighborhood where courtesans, singers, and entertainers lived and worked, often under official regulation.
   • The world of courtesans: By extension, it can refer to the social sphere or milieu of courtesans and entertainers in historical Vietnam.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong văn học cổ, "bình khang" thường là nơi các thi nhân tìm đến cảm hứng. (In classical literature, the "bình khang" was often a place where poets sought inspiration.)
  • Xóm bình khang ngày xưa thường nằm ở khu vực ngoại ô thành thị. (The licensed quarters of the past were often located in the suburban areas of cities.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chốn bình khang": This phrase emphasizes the place or realm of the licensed quarters.
  • Câu chuyện kể về cuộc đời của một kỹ nữ trong chốn bình khang. (The story tells of the life of a courtesan in the licensed quarters.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ả đào / Ca kỹ: (Historical nouns) Female singer-entertainers, often associated with the "bình khang" milieu.
• Kỹ viện: (Noun) Brothel; a more direct term for an establishment where courtesans worked.

Synonyms

• Khu phố đèn đỏ: (Modern noun) Red-light district.
• Khu giải trí có giấy phép: (Descriptive phrase) Licensed entertainment district.

Notes on Usage

• Historical Term: The word "bình khang" is an archaic, literary term. It is not used in modern, everyday language to refer to contemporary red-light districts.
• Cultural Context: It carries specific historical and cultural connotations related to pre-modern Vietnamese society, often appearing in classical poetry and literature.

1. Xóm bình khang The licenced quarters