muộn chồng

Definition
  1. Adjective (used to describe a woman):
    • Marrying late / being a late bride: The primary meaning of "muộn chồng" describes a woman who gets married at an age considered later than the traditional or societal norm. It carries a connotation of delay or lateness in marriage.
Usage Examples
  • Adjective:
    • Cô ấy sợ bị gọi là muộn chồng. (She is afraid of being called a late bride.)
    • Theo quan niệm cũ, qua 30 tuổi mà chưa kết hôn thì bị coi là muộn chồng. (According to old beliefs, being unmarried past 30 is considered marrying late.)
Advanced Usage
  • The term is specifically and almost exclusively applied to women, reflecting traditional societal expectations about the appropriate age for marriage.
  • It is often used in a somewhat judgmental or pitying context, though modern usage may employ it ironically to critique those outdated norms.
Variants and Related Words
  • Lấy chồng muộn (verb phrase): to marry late (for a woman).
    • Chị tôi quyết định lấy chồng muộn để tập trung cho sự nghiệp. (My older sister decided to marry late to focus on her career.)
Synonyms
  • Late marriage (for a woman): Marrying at an older age.
  • Spinster (dated and potentially offensive): An older unmarried woman (this English term carries stronger negative connotations).
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • Ế chồng: a more colloquial and blunt term meaning "left on the shelf" or unable to find a husband.
    • Bà ấy hay lo lắng con gái mình sẽ ế chồng. (She often worries her daughter will be left unmarried.)
  • While not a direct idiom, the concept is central to phrases discussing societal pressure, such as áp lực tuổi tác kết hôn (pressure to marry by a certain age).