娭 (āi) - Aunt — respectful term for an elderly woman & also refers to a female servant or maid

娭Tone 1

āi ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

安

娭 · āi

Aunt — respectful term for an elderly woman;

also refers to a female servant or maid in historical contexts.

Aunt — respectful term for an elderly womanalso refers to a female servant or maid

Usage highlights

Elderly auntFemale servantRespectful address for older womanAuntieMaid servantOld lady

Synonyms

  • 姨— aunt (maternal)
  • 婶— aunt (paternal)
  • 保姆— maid, nanny

Antonyms

  • 爷— grandfather, elderly man
  • 叔— uncle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The elderly aunt (娭毑) told stories of her youth.
  • In some regions, people address older women as 娭毑.
  • Historical texts mention female servants called 娭.
  • She works as a maid (娭姐) in the household.

Collocations

  • Elderly aunt(娭毑)
  • Female servant(娭姐)
  • Respectful address for older woman(娭老)
  • Auntie(娭姨)
  • Maid servant(娭婢)
  • Old lady(老娭)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as a respectful term for elderly women in some Chinese dialects, particularly in Hunan region.
  • Historically used to refer to female servants or maids in aristocratic households.
  • The character contains the female radical (女), indicating its association with women.

FAQ