Definition

1. Noun:
   • A female member of the royal family: A historical title and term used to denote a young woman or girl belonging to the royal lineage, specifically the Nguyễn dynasty and other Vietnamese royal houses.
   • Princess (contextual): While not a direct equivalent to the Western concept of "princess," it is an aristocratic title for a royal daughter or female descendant.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bà ấy là một tôn nữ của triều Nguyễn. (She is a tôn nữ of the Nguyễn dynasty.)
  • Danh hiệu "tôn nữ" được phong cho các con gái trong hoàng tộc. (The title "tôn nữ" was conferred upon daughters within the royal clan.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily historical and used in formal or academic contexts when discussing Vietnam's feudal history and aristocracy. It is part of a specific system of royal titles.

Variants and Related Words

• Hoàng nữ (n): A term for a daughter of the emperor, often considered a closer equivalent to "princess."
• Công chúa (n): Princess; a more common and general term for a princess, often used in broader contexts, including folklore and modern foreign royalty.

Synonyms

• Royal daughter: A female child of a royal family.
• Female royal descendant: A woman descended from a royal line.

Notes on Usage

• "Tôn nữ" is an archaic term. In modern Vietnamese, it is rarely used outside of historical discussion or when referring to specific descendants of the former royal family.
• It is a compound word where "tôn" implies respect for lineage and "nữ" means female. It should be treated as a single, fixed lexical unit.