Definition

1. Noun (Archaic):
   • A female servant or maidservant: A young woman or girl employed for domestic work in a household, typically in a historical or feudal context.
   • A bondwoman or female slave: In older usage, can imply a woman in a state of servitude or bondage.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong truyện cổ, cô ấy từng là một con đòi trong phủ chúa. (In the ancient story, she was once a maidservant in the lord's manor.)
  • Thân phận con đòi trong xã hội phong kiến thật thấp kém. (The status of a bondwoman in feudal society was very low.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is now primarily found in historical texts, literature, or folktales. Its use in modern conversation is rare and would be understood as a deliberate archaism.

Variants and Related Words

• Đầy tớ (n): A general, neutral term for servant (male or female).
• Người hầu (n): A person who serves; an attendant or servant.
• Nô tì (n) (Archaic): A female slave or serf.

Synonyms

• Maidservant
• Handmaid
• Bondwoman

Notes on Usage

• Register: The word "con đòi" is archaic. It carries connotations of a bygone social hierarchy and may imply a lack of freedom or low social standing.
• Modern Equivalent: In contemporary Vietnamese, terms like "người giúp việc" (domestic helper) or "osin" (from the Japanese "au pair") are used for similar roles without the archaic and servile connotations.