Definition

1. Noun:
   • Spleen: An organ in the abdomen that is part of the lymphatic system, involved in filtering blood and supporting the immune system. This is the primary medical/biological meaning.
   • A low-ranking female servant or concubine: In historical or literary contexts, it can refer to a secondary wife or a maid. (Note: This meaning is often found in compound words like tì thiếp).

Usage Examples

• Noun (Spleen):

  • Lá lách (tỳ) là một cơ quan quan trọng trong hệ bạch huyết. (The spleen is an important organ in the lymphatic system.)
  • Sau chấn thương, bác sĩ kiểm tra xem tỳ của anh ấy có bị vỡ không. (After the injury, the doctor checked if his spleen was ruptured.)

• Noun (Servant/Concubine):

  • Trong xã hội phong kiến, một vị quan có thể có nhiều tỳ thiếp. (In feudal society, a mandarin could have many concubines.)
  • Cô ấy vào phủ làm tỳ nữ hầu hạ công chúa. (She entered the mansion to work as a maid serving the princess.)

Advanced Usage

• "Tỳ vị": A term in traditional Sino-Vietnamese medicine referring to the spleen and stomach system, often related to digestion.
  • Theo Đông y, tỳ vị hư nhược sẽ dẫn đến kém ăn. (According to traditional medicine, a weak spleen-stomach system leads to poor appetite.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tì (Alternate spelling): A common alternate spelling for all meanings of .
• Tì bà (n): A pear-shaped lute, a traditional Vietnamese musical instrument.
• Tì thiếp (n): Concubine.
• Tì tướng (n): Deputy general, lieutenant.
• Tì vị (n): Spleen and stomach (in traditional medicine).

Synonyms

• Lá lách: Spleen (the more common Vietnamese term for the organ).
• Đầy tớ gái, nô tì: Female servant, maid.
• Thiếp, vợ lẽ: Concubine.

Notes on Usage

• When used alone in modern Vietnamese, (or ) most commonly refers to the spleen, especially in medical contexts.
• The meanings related to servants or concubines are now largely archaic and are primarily encountered in historical texts, literature, or within fixed compound words (e.g., ).
• It is crucial to distinguish the standalone word from the compound words listed in the variants. The compound words have specific, distinct meanings.

noun

1. spleen