betrothed widow; virgin widow
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
the practice of a betrothed woman remaining unmarried after her fiancé's death (in former times)
archaicRefers to the feudal custom itself, where an engaged woman would 'keep widowhood' without ever having married. Often criticized as oppressive.
Wàng望
mén门
guǎ寡
shì是
fēng封
jiàn建
shè社
huì会
yā压
pò迫
fù妇
nǚ女
de的
yī一
zhǒng种
cán残
kù酷
xí习
sú俗
。
Betrothed widowhood was a cruel feudal custom used to oppress women.
Jiù旧
shí时
xǔ许
duō多
nǚ女
zǐ子
bèi被
pò迫
shǒu守
wàng望
mén门
guǎ寡
，
liǎo了
cǐ此
cán残
shēng生
。
In olden times, many women were forced to keep betrothed widowhood, spending their remaining years in loneliness.
noun
a woman who remains unmarried after her fiancé's death; betrothed virgin widow
archaicRefers to the person who practices this custom. The term often evokes pity or criticism of the feudal ethics that created such situations.
Tā她
shí十
liù六
suì岁
jiù就
chéng成
le了
wàng望
mén门
guǎ寡
，
zhōng终
shēn身
wèi未
jià嫁
。
She became a betrothed widow at sixteen and never married for the rest of her life.
Nà那
wèi位
wàng望
mén门
guǎ寡
zài在
fū夫
jiā家
shǒu守
jié节
le了
yī一
bèi辈
zi子
。
That betrothed widow remained chaste in her fiancé's family for her entire life.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Xiǎo小
shuō说
miáo描
xiě写
le了
yī一
gè个
wàng望
mén门
guǎ寡
de的
bēi悲
jù剧
mìng命
yùn运
。
The novel depicts the tragic fate of a betrothed widow.