Tôn Nữ

See also: tonnu and Tonnu

Vietnamese

Etymology

Sino-Vietnamese word from 孫女, composed of (grandchild) and (daughter), Chinese 孫女 / 孙女 (sūnnǚ, granddaughter). Originally the various titles of Nguyễn emperors' granddaughters (công tôn nữ (literally the granddaughter who is a duke (prince)'s daughter)), great-granddaughters (công tằng tôn nữ), etc.

Alternatively, from a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 宗女 (female of imperial lineage, SV: tông nữ), with tông perhaps euphemistically replaced with tôn to avoid referencing Emperor Thiệu Trị, whose taboo name was Nguyễn Phúc Miên Tông. A name prescribed by Emperor Minh Mạng upon female descendants of the Nguyễn Phúc lineage. Compare Tôn Thất and tôn giáo.

Pronunciation

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ton˧˧ nɨ˦ˀ˥]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [toŋ˧˧ nɨ˧˨]
  • (Saigon) IPA(key): [toŋ˧˧ nɨ˨˩˦]

Proper noun

Tôn Nữ

  1. a surname from Chinese