Definition

1. Noun:
   • Old servant: A term referring to an elderly male servant or attendant. It is an archaic and humble form of self-reference used by a servant, particularly in historical or literary contexts, to address a master with deference.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • "Lão nô xin phép được lui." (This old servant asks permission to withdraw.)
  • Trong vở kịch, nhân vật ấy tự xưng là "lão nô" trước mặt chủ nhân. (In the play, that character refers to himself as "old servant" before his master.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "lão nô" is deeply rooted in feudal society. Its usage today is almost exclusively found in historical novels, period dramas, or to create a classical, humble tone. It is not used in modern, everyday conversation.

Variants and Related Words

• Gia nô (n): A general, archaic term for a servant or retainer.

  • Gia nô trung thành của dòng họ. (The loyal retainer of the family.)

• Nô bộc (n): Servant; a term for servants or underlings.

  • Bọn nô bộc trong phủ. (The servants in the mansion.)

Synonyms

• Old retainer: An elderly servant who has served a family for a long time.
• Aged servant: An old domestic worker.

Related Idioms

• While "lão nô" itself is not commonly part of idioms, it relates to the concept of servitude in classical Vietnamese literature. Phrases like "bề tôi trung thành" (loyal subject/official) share the thematic context of service and hierarchy but are not direct synonyms, as they lack the specific humble and aged connotations of "lão nô".