Definition

1. Noun:
   • Maid; servant: A female domestic worker, typically in a household. This term is now considered archaic and carries historical connotations of servitude.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, nhiều gia đình giàu có có con ở. (In feudal society, many wealthy families had maids/servants.)
  • Bà ấy từng làm con ở trong một gia đình quý tộc. (She used to work as a maid in a noble family.)

Advanced Usage

• The term 'con ở' is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe domestic service in pre-modern Vietnam. Its use in contemporary language is rare and can be perceived as outdated or carrying the hierarchical social structures of the past.

Variants and Related Words

• Đầy tớ (n): A more general, and also somewhat dated, term for servant. It can refer to servants of any gender.
• Người giúp việc (n): The modern, neutral term for a domestic helper or housekeeper.
• Osin (n): A modern, colloquial term derived from Japanese (via the brand "OSIJ") for a housekeeper or maid, commonly used in contemporary urban Vietnamese.

Synonyms

• Người hầu (n): Attendant, servant (also archaic).
• Kẻ ở (n): Servant (archaic and carries a slightly derogatory nuance).

Notes on Meaning

• The term explicitly refers to a female domestic servant. The word 'con' here is a familiar, often diminutive, prefix for certain animals and, in historical contexts, for people in lower social positions, which contributes to the term's outdated and hierarchical feel.
• It reflects a specific historical social role and is not appropriate for referring to modern domestic workers, for whom 'người giúp việc' is the standard, respectful term.

noun

1. Maid; servant