Definition

1. Noun:
   • Maid, maiden: An archaic term used to refer to young women or unmarried girls.
   • Valerian: A type of herbaceous plant (botanical name: Valeriana officinalis), known for its medicinal properties, especially for promoting sleep and reducing anxiety.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Maid, maiden):

  • Trong thơ ca cổ, "nữ lang" thường chỉ những thiếu nữ đẹp. (In ancient poetry, "nữ lang" often referred to beautiful maidens.)
  • Cung điện có nhiều nữ lang hầu hạ. (The palace had many maids in attendance.)

• Noun (Valerian plant):

  • Rễ cây nữ lang thường được dùng làm trà thảo dược. (Valerian root is often used to make herbal tea.)
  • Bà tôi uống trà nữ lang để ngủ ngon hơn. (My grandmother drinks valerian tea to sleep better.)

Advanced Usage

• Poetic/Literary usage: The term "nữ lang" is primarily found in classical Vietnamese literature and poetry to evoke a sense of antiquity and grace when referring to young women. It is rarely used in modern conversational Vietnamese with this meaning.
  • Hình ảnh nữ lang bên khung cửi thường xuất hiện trong văn học trung đại. (The image of a maiden by the loom often appears in medieval literature.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thiếu nữ (n): Young woman, maiden (modern and common equivalent for the "maiden" meaning).
• Hầu gái (n): Maid, servant girl (more specific to the "maid" meaning).
• Cây nữ lang (n): Valerian plant (full term for the herb).

Synonyms

• For "maid/maiden": thiếu nữ, trinh nữ, tiểu thư (archaic).
• For the plant: valerian, cây nữ lang.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The two meanings (young woman / medicinal plant) are distinct and homonyms. The context of the sentence makes it clear which meaning is intended.
• The meaning of "young woman" is considered archaic (cũ) and is mostly encountered in historical or literary contexts.
• The botanical meaning is the one more likely to be encountered in modern contexts, such as in discussions about herbs or traditional medicine.

1. (cũ) Maid, maiden