khuê
Definition
- Noun:
- A woman's private chamber or boudoir in traditional Vietnamese architecture: "khuê" refers to a secluded room or inner quarter specifically designated for women, particularly unmarried daughters or young ladies, in a traditional Vietnamese household. It represents a space of privacy, modesty, and refinement.
- (Archaic) A term for a young woman or maiden: By metonymy, "khuê" can poetically refer to the young woman herself, emphasizing her virtue and seclusion within the family home.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cô ấy thường ở trong khuê phòng đọc sách. (She often stays in her boudoir to read books.)
- Tiếng cười trong trẻo vang lên từ buồng khuê. (A clear, bright laugh rang out from the women's quarters.)
Advanced Usage
"Khuê các": A more elaborate term for a woman's chamber, often implying a finely appointed room.
- Nàng từ khuê các bước ra, khiến ai nấy đều ngỡ ngàng. (She stepped out from her finely appointed chamber, astonishing everyone present.)
"Cửa khuê" / "Khuê môn": The door or gate to the women's quarters; symbolically, the threshold of a maiden's home.
- Chàng trai ấy chưa một lần bước qua cửa khuê nhà nàng. (That young man has never once crossed the threshold to her family's women's quarters.)
Variants and Related Words
Buồng khuê (n): Synonymous with "khuê," specifically meaning a boudoir or a lady's private chamber.
- Cô gái lớn lên trong buồng khuê yên tĩnh. (The girl grew up in a quiet boudoir.)
Khuê phòng (n): Another term for a lady's private room or bedroom.
- Khuê nữ (n): (Archaic, literary) A maiden; a young, unmarried woman of good family.
Synonyms
- Phòng the: Bedchamber, private room (often for a married couple, but can be used more broadly).
- Buồng riêng: Private room.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "Khuê các thâm thâm": (Literary) Describing the deep seclusion of the women's quarters; emphasizing privacy and inaccessibility.
- "Chốn khuê phòng": A poetic way to refer to the private, intimate space of a woman's room.