Definition

Noun: - Courtesan; prostitute: A woman, especially in historical or feudal societies, who engages in sexual relations for money. The term often carries a historical or literary nuance, referring to a class of professional female entertainers and companions in pre-modern contexts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, đời sống của một kỹ nữ thường rất khổ cực. (In feudal society, the life of a courtesan was often very difficult.)
  • Tác phẩm văn học ấy khắc họa hình ảnh một kỹ nữ tài sắc vẹn toàn. (That literary work depicts the image of a talented and beautiful courtesan.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "kỹ nữ" is primarily used in historical, literary, or sociological discussions about pre-modern Vietnamese society. It is less common in contemporary everyday speech, where other terms are more frequently used.
• It can sometimes imply a level of artistic skill (e.g., in music, poetry) alongside the primary profession, distinguishing it from more general modern terms.

Variants and Related Words

• Gái điếm (n): Prostitute. A more direct and common modern term.
• Gái mại dâm (n): Sex worker. A formal and contemporary term.
• Ả đào (n): A historical term for a female singer-entertainer, often with connotations similar to a courtesan.

Synonyms

• Gái làng chơi: A woman of the pleasure quarters.
• Gái giang hồ: A woman of the rivers and lakes (figuratively, a woman with a transient or promiscuous lifestyle).

Notes on Meaning and Usage

• Historical vs. Modern Connotation: While the core meaning relates to prostitution, "kỹ nữ" often evokes a specific historical image from literature and history (e.g., the courtesans of the old quarters of Hanoi or Huế), rather than a modern sex worker.
• Register: This is a formal, almost academic or literary term. Using it in a modern context may sound archaic or deliberately euphemistic.
• Neutrality: The term itself is descriptive. However, like all words in this semantic field, its acceptability depends entirely on context, tone, and audience.

noun

1. courtesan; prostitute