Definition

1. Noun (archaic):
   • Servant: A person who performs duties for others, especially in a household, in a historical or feudal context. The term carries connotations of subservience and is associated with pre-modern Vietnamese society.
   • Menial: A person with a servile or low-status role.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, giai cấp địa chủ có nhiều nô bộc. (In feudal society, the landlord class had many servants.)
  • Hắn ta cư xử như một tên nô bộc ngoan ngoãn. (He behaves like an obedient menial.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nô bộc" is primarily used in historical, literary, or figurative contexts to describe a relationship of absolute obedience and servitude. It is not used for modern employment relationships.
  • Lòng trung thành của người nô bộc ấy thật đáng kinh ngạc. (The loyalty of that servant was truly astonishing.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nô tì (n, archaic): A female servant or slave.
  • Số phận của những nô tì thường rất khổ cực. (The fate of female servants was often very miserable.)
• Đầy tớ (n): A more common, less archaic term for servant.
  • Ông ấy thuê một người đầy tớ để giúp việc nhà. (He hired a servant to help with housework.)

Synonyms

• Servant: A person who performs duties for others.
• Menial: A person with a servile or low-status job.
• Retainer: A servant, especially one who has worked for a family for a long time (historical context).

Related Idioms

• Làm nô bộc cho: To serve as a slave/servant to; to be subservient to (often used figuratively).
  • Họ không muốn làm nô bộc cho chủ nghĩa vật chất. (They do not want to be slaves to materialism.)

1. (cũ) Servant