tú bà
Definition
- Noun:
- Madam / Brothel keeper: A woman who owns, manages, or runs a brothel or a prostitution establishment. The term carries a strong negative and vulgar connotation.
- Procuress: A woman who procures clients for prostitutes.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Tên tội phạm đó hoạt động như một tú bà. (That criminal operated as a madam.)
- Cô ấy bị buộc tội là tú bà của một đường dây mại dâm. (She was charged with being the procuress for a prostitution ring.)
Advanced Usage
- The word "tú bà" is almost exclusively used in legal, criminal, or sociological contexts discussing vice and exploitation. It is not a polite term.
Variants and Related Words
- Mụ tú bà (n): An even more derogatory and aged form of "tú bà," emphasizing the woman's perceived malevolence or old age.
- Mụ tú bà đó nổi tiếng là tàn nhẫn. (That old brothel keeper was infamous for her cruelty.)
Synonyms
- Madam: A woman in charge of a brothel.
- Procuress: A woman who obtains clients for prostitutes.
- Brothel keeper: A person who manages a brothel.
Related Idioms
- Làm tú bà: To act as a madam or procuress.
- Bị cáo bị kết tội làm tú bà. (The defendant was convicted of acting as a procuress.)