nữ nhi
Definition
- Noun:
- A woman / A female: A poetic or classical term for a woman, emphasizing traditional feminine qualities such as gentleness, grace, or delicacy. It often carries a somewhat old-fashioned or literary tone.
- Daughters / Female children: Can refer specifically to female offspring within a family.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Tấm lòng nữ nhi thường hay mềm yếu. (The heart of a woman is often tender and soft.)
- Ông ấy có ba người con: hai trai và một nữ nhi. (He has three children: two sons and one daughter.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "nữ nhi" is primarily found in classical literature, poetry, or formal speech. In modern, everyday Vietnamese, words like "phụ nữ" (woman), "con gái" (girl/daughter), or "con gái" in a familial context are more commonly used. Using "nữ nhi" today can sound deliberately sentimental, rhetorical, or archaic.
Variants and Related Words
- Nữ nhi thường tình (idiomatic phrase): Common feminine sentiments or the typical emotional disposition attributed to women in a classical context.
- Đó chỉ là nữ nhi thường tình mà thôi. (That is merely common feminine sentiment.)
Synonyms
- Phụ nữ: Woman (modern, general term).
- Con gái: Girl; daughter (modern, common term).
- Nữ giới: The female gender (formal term).
Related Idioms
- Nữ nhi thường tình: As above, referring to conventional or stereotypical feminine feelings.
- Anh hùng không qua ải nữ nhi: (A hero cannot pass the barrier of a woman.) An idiom suggesting that even great men can be overcome by feminine wiles or emotions.