Definition

1. Noun:
   • Private house: A residential building owned and occupied by an individual or family, as opposed to a public or state-owned building.
   • Private residence: The dwelling place of a private individual.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Khu vực này chủ yếu là các nhà tư. (This area is mainly private houses.)
  • Họ sống trong một nhà tư cổ ở trung tâm phố cổ. (They live in an old private house in the center of the old quarter.)

Advanced Usage

• "nhà tư nhân": This is a more explicit and common variant meaning "private house" or "privately-owned house," emphasizing individual ownership.
  • Công ty đó chuyên xây dựng nhà tư nhân. (That company specializes in building private houses.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nhà riêng (n): Private home. This is a more common synonym in everyday language.
• Biệt thự (n): Villa. A large, luxurious private house.
• Căn hộ tư nhân (n): Private apartment.

Synonyms

• Nhà riêng: Private home.
• Tư gia: Private residence (more formal/literary).

Notes on Meaning

• The term "nhà tư" is often used in contrast to "nhà công" (public building) or "nhà nước" (state-owned house). It specifically denotes private ownership.
• In modern Vietnamese, "nhà tư nhân" or "nhà riêng" are more frequently used than "nhà tư" alone in everyday conversation. "Nhà tư" can sound slightly formal or dated.

1. Private house