In our last video, we talked about the phrase "待字閨中," which was used to describe unmarried girls under the age of 15. In modern-day Taiwan, people are considered adults at 18 and can marry, although they must be 20 to vote.
雲英未嫁
- 雲英： a woman's name.
- 未= 尚未、仍未：not yet or still not.
- 嫁： Refers to females marrying, emphasizing that she leaves her family home and enters her husband's family.
娶：The word "娶" is used for males getting married, indicating that the male's family is accepting the female as a new member. - 她嫁了一個好丈夫。She married a good husband.
- 他娶了一個好妻子。He married a good wife.
- For same-sex marriage, we simply say: 他/她們結婚了。 They married.
This idiom comes from a poem by 羅隱(833-909), a poet from the 唐朝(Tang dynasty)
《贈妓雲英》
鍾陵醉別十餘春，重見雲英掌上身。我未成名君未嫁，可能俱是不如人。
Before we proceed, let's take a moment to understand the backgrounds of these two characters.
- 雲英 was a courtesan. During the 唐 dynasty, courtesans typically began their careers at age 15. If they were lucky, they would work for five to six years, earning enough money to buy their freedom or finding someone to pay for it.
- 羅隱 was a scholar who repeatedly tried to pass the imperial civil service examinations but never succeeded in his lifetime.
Now, let's look at the story behind the poem.
When 羅隱 and 雲英 first met, they were both young. Ten years later, when passing through the place named 鍾陵, 羅隱 saw 雲英 still working at the same establishment.
雲英 looked at him in surprise and asked, "Did you not pass the exam yet?"
Feeling sad for both of them, 羅隱 smiled and remained silent. Out of this sentiment, he composed this poem as a gift for 雲英.
The poem roughly translates to:
鍾陵醉別十餘春，重見雲英掌上身。
The last time I saw you was in 鍾陵, about ten years ago. I never expected to see your graceful dance again.
The last time I saw you was in 鍾陵, about ten years ago. I never expected to see your graceful dance again.
我未成名君未嫁，可能俱是不如人。
I haven't achieved success in my career or become a person of renown, and you are still unmarried. Maybe it's because neither of us is as good as others.
I haven't achieved success in my career or become a person of renown, and you are still unmarried. Maybe it's because neither of us is as good as others.
In the first part, we see that 雲英 is still working the same job. The latter part reflects 羅隱's disappointment ("I still haven't passed the exam") alongside 雲英's unmarried status and continued in the same job. He concludes that their situation has not changed in ten years because, in his words, "neither of us is as good as others."
Regardless of his original intent, today, "雲英未嫁" describes an older, unmarried woman, and often implies that she is inadequate compared to others, which is why she couldn't get married.
Similar phrase describe unmarried females, we have "小姑獨處."
小姑獨處
This phrase, comes from the 南朝樂府詩(Southern Dynasties folk song) 《青溪小姑曲》
「開門白水，側近橋樑；小姑所居，獨處無郎。」
The poem's description is quite simple. It's about a house near a bridge where opening the door reveals clear water. It is the home of an unmarried woman who lives alone.
Is she waiting for someone? What is the reason she chose to live here alone? The song doesn't reveal these details. However, "小姑獨處" later became a phrase used to describe unmarried women.
- 小姑：In ancient times, this term referred to an unmarried woman. As a term of address, it could also refer to a wife addressing her husband's younger sisters (sisters-in-law).
- 獨處： Refers to living alone, without a spouse.
How To Use
You want to say to a woman: "You are unmarried at this age! Are you somewhere inferior to others?"
Really? Then, let me tell you a story.
One night, my brother looked at me and said: 雲英未嫁就是這個樣子吧。(This is what 雲英未嫁 looks like.)
I was just baking cookies at 11 p.m. What's the big deal? Are people who bake cookies during the day better than me? Is that why they can find the right person, and I can't? Is that the reason?
So the idiom 雲英未嫁 is harsh. Don't say it to anyone, or you might get a punch.
Instead, use "小姑獨處." This term simply describes a woman who has chosen not to marry. There may be personal reasons for this choice, but we don't know what they are.
Example:
父母過世後，她為了拉拔弟妹長大，選擇不婚；現在年過四十了，依舊小姑獨處。
After her parents passed away, she chose not to marry so that she could raise her younger siblings. Now in her forties, she is still unmarried and lives alone
留言
張貼留言