thê nhi
Definition
- Noun (Archaic):
- Wife and children: An archaic, literary term referring collectively to one's spouse and offspring as a familial unit.
- Family dependents: Denotes the immediate family for whom one is responsible, specifically a wife and children.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Sau trận chiến, người lính mong ngóng được đoàn tụ với thê nhi. (After the battle, the soldier longed to be reunited with his wife and children.)
- Lo cho thê nhi là trách nhiệm của người đàn ông trong xã hội xưa. (Providing for one's wife and children was the responsibility of a man in ancient society.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thê nhi" is primarily found in classical Vietnamese poetry, historical texts, and formal, literary contexts. It is rarely used in modern spoken Vietnamese, where phrases like "vợ con" are standard.
- It often carries a tone of classical refinement or conveys the burdens and joys of familial responsibility in a traditional context.
Variants and Related Words
Vợ con (n): The modern, common term for "wife and children."
- Anh ấy luôn làm việc chăm chỉ vì vợ con. (He always works hard for his wife and children.)
Gia quyến (n, literary): Family members, dependents (a broader term that may include spouse, children, and other relatives).
- Ông ấy đưa cả gia quyến về quê. (He took all his family members back to his hometown.)
Synonyms
- Wife and children: The direct modern equivalent.
- Family: A broader, more general term.
- Dependents: Emphasizes those who rely on one for support.
Related Idioms
- While there is no common idiom built specifically on "thê nhi", the concept is central to many classical literary expressions about a man's duty to his family or the sorrow of separation from them.
- Nỗi nhớ thê nhi canh cánh trong lòng. (The constant worry for his wife and children weighed on his mind.)