Definition
老姑娘 has two distinct noun meanings. The first refers to an 'old maid' — a woman who has never married, often carrying a slightly derogatory or pitying tone in traditional Chinese society. The second refers to the 'youngest daughter' in a family, used especially in northern Chinese dialects. Context determines which sense is intended.
n.
old maid (unmarried woman, often pejorative)youngest daughter (in a family)
Examples
- ，老姑娘。Tā sānshí duō suì hái méi jiéhūn, biérén dōu jiào tā lǎo gū niáng.She's over thirty and still unmarried; people call her an old maid.
- 老姑娘，。Tā shì jiā lǐ de lǎo gū niáng, fùmǔ zuì téng tā.She is the youngest daughter in the family; her parents dote on her the most.
- ，老姑娘。Zài nàge niándài, dāng lǎo gū niáng shì yí jiàn hěn diūliǎn de shì.In those days, being an old maid was a very shameful thing.
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