Definition
歌女 literally means 'singing woman' and historically refers to a female entertainer who sang in restaurants, teahouses, or brothels in old China — a profession often associated with low social status. In modern usage, it is rarely used for professional singers (女歌手 is the neutral term); 歌女 appears mainly in historical or literary contexts, or carries a nostalgic or derogatory tone. Don't confuse it with the neutral 女歌手.
n.
female singer (in old society, often with a social-class implication)
Examples
- 歌女。Jiù shèhuì de gē nǚ dà duō chūshēn pínkǔ.Most singing girls in old society came from poor families.
- 歌女。Zhè bù xiǎoshuō miáoxiě le yí ge gē nǚ de bēicǎn mìngyùn.This novel describes the tragic fate of a singing girl.
- ，歌女。Mínguó shíqī, Shànghǎi yǒu hěnduō gē nǚ zài yèzǒnghuì biǎoyǎn.During the Republic of China era, Shanghai had many singing girls performing in nightclubs.
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