thê
Definition
Noun: 1. Wife (archaic): Refers to a wife, specifically in the context of historical or classical Vietnamese literature and language. This term is now considered old-fashioned and is rarely used in modern, everyday conversation. - Example: "Năm thê bảy thiếp" (To have multiple wives and concubines) is a classical idiom describing polygamy.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Trong xã hội phong kiến, một người đàn ông có thể có nhiều thê. (In feudal society, a man could have multiple wives.)
- Từ "thê" thường xuất hiện trong văn học cổ điển Việt Nam. (The word "thê" often appears in classical Vietnamese literature.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "thê" is almost exclusively encountered in historical texts, classical poetry, proverbs, or fixed expressions. It is not used to refer to one's wife in contemporary spoken or written Vietnamese.
- It is a component of the classical, set phrase "năm thê bảy thiếp", which vividly depicts the polygamous customs of ancient times.
Variants and Related Words
- Thê tử (n, archaic): A more formal, classical term for 'wife and children' or sometimes just 'wife'.
- Vợ (n): The standard, modern Vietnamese word for 'wife'.
- Phu nhân (n): A formal or respectful term for 'wife', often used for someone of high status (equivalent to 'Madam' or 'Lady').
- Thiếp (n, archaic): Concubine (often paired with "thê" in the phrase "năm thê bảy thiếp").
Synonyms
- Vợ (n): Wife (modern, common).
- Phu nhân (n): Wife (formal, respectful).
- Nội trợ (n): Homemaker (focuses on the role, not the relationship).
Related Phrases
- Năm thê bảy thiếp (idiom): Literally "five wives, seven concubines". It is a fixed idiom used to describe or criticize the practice of polygamy in the past. It can sometimes be used humorously or hyperbolically in modern contexts.
- Ông ta giàu có thời xưa, chắc là năm thê bảy thiếp. (He was wealthy in the old days, surely he had a multitude of wives and concubines.)
noun
-
(cũ) wife
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