đệ nhất tiểu thư
Definition
- Noun:
- The eldest young lady / The first daughter: The primary and most common meaning refers to the first-born daughter or the eldest sister within a family, especially in a traditional or formal context. It denotes her position as the senior female child.
- The foremost young lady: In a broader or more figurative sense, it can refer to a young woman who is considered the most prominent, distinguished, or exemplary in a particular group or context.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cô ấy là đệ nhất tiểu thư trong gia đình quý tộc đó. (She is the eldest young lady in that noble family.)
- Trong ba chị em, cô cả được gọi là đệ nhất tiểu thư. (Among the three sisters, the eldest is called the first daughter.)
- Cô ấy được mệnh danh là đệ nhất tiểu thư của làng văn. (She is hailed as the foremost young lady of the literary circle.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in historical, literary, or formal contexts to emphasize hierarchy, tradition, or social status within a family structure.
- It can carry a connotation of grace, responsibility, and privilege associated with the eldest daughter's traditional role.
Variants and Related Words
Tiểu thư (n): young lady, miss (a polite term for a young, often unmarried woman from a respectable family).
- Vị tiểu thư ấy rất lịch sự. (That young lady is very polite.)
Trưởng nữ (n): eldest daughter (a more direct, formal term for the first-born daughter).
- Bà là trưởng nữ của dòng họ. (She is the eldest daughter of the clan.)
Synonyms
- Eldest daughter: The first-born female child.
- First young lady: Emphasizes the primary position among sisters.
- Senior miss: A formal way to denote the eldest unmarried daughter.
Related Idioms
- While "đệ nhất tiểu thư" itself is not typically part of a common idiom, its components are:
- Đệ nhất (number one, foremost): Often used in titles like "đệ nhất phu nhân" (First Lady).
- The phrase can be used descriptively in literary contexts to create an image of a privileged, senior female figure.