u già

Bà chủ gọi u già đến dọn dẹp phòng khách.

Definition

1. Noun (Archaic):
   • Old maid / elderly female servant: A term, now considered archaic, used to refer to an older woman working as a domestic servant, such as a nanny, maid, or housekeeper.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong câu chuyện cổ, một u già tốt bụng đã chăm sóc đứa trẻ. (In the folktale, a kind old maid cared for the child.)
  • Nhà ấy ngày xưa có một u già hầu hạ. (That household long ago had an elderly female servant in attendance.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "u già" is primarily found in historical texts, folktales, or period literature. Its use in modern Vietnamese is very rare and can sound dated or pejorative. Contemporary language uses terms like (house helper) or (nanny) without the age-specific connotation.

Variants and Related Words

• O (n, archaic): A respectful prefix or term for an older woman, often used in kinship terms (e.g., ).
• Mụ (n, archaic/pejorative): An old woman; often carries a negative or derogatory tone.

Synonyms

• Elderly maid: An older female domestic worker.
• Old retainer: An aged servant who has served a family for a long time.

Notes on Usage

• Register: Archaic, historical.
• Connotation: The term itself is descriptive of age and role but may carry a paternalistic or class-based nuance reflective of its era. It is not a polite term to use for or about someone in contemporary settings.