hoàn, a hoàn, đòi

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female servant or maid: A young woman or girl employed to perform domestic work in a household, such as cleaning, cooking, or serving. This term is historical and literary, often found in classical contexts or historical narratives.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong truyện cổ, cô hoàn làm việc chăm chỉ trong phủ chúa. (In the ancient story, the maid worked diligently in the lord's manor.)
  • A hoàn ấy rất trung thành với chủ nhà. (That female servant is very loyal to the master of the house.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in classical Vietnamese literature, historical novels, or folktales to depict the social structure of feudal times. It is largely archaic in modern, everyday speech.

Variants and Related Words

• Đầy tớ (n): A general term for "servant" (can be male or female).

  • Người đầy tớ già đã phục vụ gia đình này nhiều năm. (The old servant has served this family for many years.)

• Hầu gái (n): Another term for a female servant or maid, also historical.

  • Các hầu gái trong cung điện có những nhiệm vụ cụ thể. (The maids in the palace had specific duties.)

Synonyms

• Maid: A female domestic servant.
• Servant: A person who performs duties for others, especially in a household.

Notes on Usage

• The words "hoàn", "a hoàn", and "đòi" are presented as a single lexical entry with the same core meaning. They are considered variants of the same term for a female servant.
• This term carries historical and literary connotations. In contemporary contexts, words like "người giúp việc" (domestic helper) are more commonly used.