About
The character "婢", whose traditional form remains unchanged by simplification, is constructed from the semantic component "女" (woman) and the phonetic component "卑" (lowly). This structure directly conveys its original and core meaning of a low-status female servant or slave, a social role prevalent in early Chinese society. Over centuries, its application narrowed from a general term for female slaves to specify domestic maidservants within households. While retaining this concrete meaning, the character also developed a broader, often derogatory, metaphorical use, applying to any woman or person in a servile or submissive position, thereby extending its semantic field from a specific social designation to a word carrying a judgment on demeanor or status.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个婢女很勤劳。
婢女每天打扫房间。
老太太有一个忠心的婢女。
婢女精心照料着花园。
她从前是富贵人家的婢女。
虽然身份是婢女，但她从不自卑。
那位婢女因机智勇敢而深受主人赏识。
在封建社会中，婢女的命运往往由主人随意支配。