Definition

1. Noun:
   • Outbuilding: A separate, smaller building located outside the main house, often used for specific purposes like storage, as a workshop, or for housing animals.
   • Front house / Reception area: The outer section or front part of a traditional Vietnamese house compound, specifically designated for receiving guests, conducting business, or for male members of the family, as opposed to the more private inner quarters (nhà trong).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy dựng một căn nhà ngoài để làm xưởng mộc. (He built an outbuilding to use as a woodworking workshop.)
  • Khách đến chơi sẽ được tiếp ở nhà ngoài. (Visitors will be received in the front house.)
  • Nhà ngoài thường thông thoáng và rộng rãi để tiếp khách. (The reception area is usually airy and spacious for receiving guests.)

Advanced Usage

• In the context of traditional Vietnamese architecture and family structure, "nhà ngoài" carries a strong socio-cultural meaning. It represents the public, formal sphere of the home ( - the men's space), contrasting with the private, domestic sphere of "nhà trong" (the inner house, or women's space).

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà trong (n): The inner house; the private living quarters of a home, traditionally for family and female members.
• Nhà ngang (n): A side house; a building parallel to the main house in a traditional compound.
• Nhà phụ (n): Auxiliary house; a general term for an ancillary building.

Synonyms

• Outbuilding: A detached subsidiary building.
• Reception room / Parlor: A room for receiving visitors.
• Annex: A building joined to or associated with a main building.

Related Concepts

• Kiến trúc nhà vườn Huế: (Hue garden house architecture) This style typically features a clear layout with a sequence of buildings including a "nhà ngoài" (front house) for formal affairs.
• Không gian tiếp khách: (Guest reception space) This is the primary function of the "nhà ngoài" in a traditional context.

1. Outbuilding