thứ nam
Definition
- Noun:
- Second son / younger son: A traditional, now largely archaic, term specifically referring to a male child born after the firstborn son (the eldest son) within a family. It denotes his position in the birth order among male siblings.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông ấy là thứ nam trong gia đình. (He is the second son in the family.)
- Theo gia phả, người thừa kế thường là con trưởng, không phải thứ nam. (According to the family annals, the heir was usually the firstborn son, not the second son.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thứ nam" is primarily found in historical, literary, or genealogical contexts. In modern everyday Vietnamese, the more common and neutral way to indicate birth order is by number (e.g., - the second son) or simply by relationship (e.g., - younger brother, from the perspective of the first son).
Variants and Related Words
Con trưởng / Trưởng nam (n): Firstborn son / eldest son.
- Trưởng nam có trách nhiệm lớn trong gia đình. (The eldest son has great responsibility in the family.)
Con thứ (n): A general term for any child (son or daughter) who is not the firstborn.
- Bà ấy là con thứ trong nhà. (She is a younger child in the family.)
Synonyms
- Second son: The male child born after the first son.
- Younger son: A son who is not the eldest (this is a broader term that can include more than just the second son).
Related Concepts
- Birth order: The sequence in which children are born into a family. "Thứ nam" is a specific marker within this system, reflecting traditional family structures where the eldest son held particular rights and duties.
- Archaism: "Thứ nam" is considered an old-fashioned word. Its usage today might imply a formal, historical, or ceremonial context rather than casual conversation.