second branch of family; concubine
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
the second branch of a family (in traditional extended family systems)
archaicRefers to the lineage descending from the second son in traditional Chinese kinship systems, often living in a separate courtyard or wing of the family compound.
In old extended families, the second branch usually lived in the eastern courtyard.
He was a child born to the second branch, with a slightly lower status in the family than the eldest branch.
noun
concubine; secondary wife
archaicRefers to a woman married as a secondary spouse in polygamous systems, common in imperial and Republican China but now illegal. The term carries historical/cultural connotations.
In the past, wealthy families besides the principal wife often took a concubine.
She was the master's concubine, born into poverty.
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Now the law prohibits taking concubines, and the concubine system has long been abolished.