tài tai
นาง; นางสาว
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我太太是老师。
wǒ tàitai shì lǎoshī.
My wife is a teacher.
太太，您要买什么？
tàitai, nín yào mǎi shénme?
Madam, what do you want to buy?
太太，请您这边坐。
tàitai, qǐng nín zhèbiān zuò.
Madam, please sit here.
妻子 (qīzi)
wife
老婆 (lǎopo)
wife
先生 (xiānshēng)
Mr.
小姐 (xiǎojiě)
Miss
The Chinese word 太太 (tàitai) for "wife" or "madam" has an interesting etymology. The character 太 (tài) originally meant "great" or "big", and was often used as a prefix to indicate respect or honor. The character 太太 (tàitai) is a reduplication of 太 (tài), and was originally used as a term of address for a woman of high status, such as the wife of an emperor or a high-ranking official. Over time, the term came to be used more generally for any married woman, and is now the most common way to refer to a wife in Chinese.
