婢 (bì) - Slave girl & servant girl

婢Tone 4

bì ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

傲不

婢 · bì

Slave girl;

servant girl;

maid;

a female servant or bondmaid in ancient China.

Slave girlservant girlmaid

Usage highlights

Maid servantSlave girlServant girlMaid and servantFemale slaveServant class

Synonyms

  • 奴— slave; servant
  • 仆— servant; attendant
  • 侍女— maid; serving girl
  • 丫鬟— servant girl; maid

Antonyms

  • 主— master; owner
  • 贵— noble; precious

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The wealthy family had many maidservants (婢女).
  • She worked as a servant girl (奴婢) in the household.
  • In ancient times, slave girls (婢妾) had low social status.
  • The maid (婢仆) was responsible for household chores.

Collocations

  • Maid servant(婢女)
  • Slave girl(奴婢)
  • Servant girl(婢妾)
  • Maid and servant(婢仆)
  • Female slave(婢婢)
  • Servant class(婢类)

Idioms

  • Slaves and servants(奴仆婢妾)
  • Servants and maids(仆婢)
  • To treat as a slave girl(婢视)
  • Servant's words(婢言)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China,婢 referred to female domestic servants who were often purchased or born into servitude.
  • 婢 occupied the lowest social strata and had no personal freedom, being considered property of their masters.
  • The term reflects the hierarchical social structure of traditional Chinese society where servitude was institutionalized.
  • Modern usage is largely historical, though the character appears in classical literature and historical texts.

FAQ