công tử

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 公子, composed of 公 (“duke”) and 子 (“child; son”), Literary Chinese 公子 (gōngzǐ).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [kəwŋ͡m˧˧ tɨ˧˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [kəwŋ͡m˧˧ tɨ˧˨]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [kəwŋ͡m˧˧ tɨ˨˩˦]

Noun

công tử

1. (historical) a duke's son, a nobility title under the Nguyễn dynasty, opposed to a công nữ (“duke's daughter”)
2. (ironic) a rich boy born in wealth

Pronoun

công tử

1. (Chinese fiction, polite) you, young gentleman

See also

• công tử bột
• cô nương