大老婆

dàlǎopó

noun #76,499

Meanings

1 primary wife
2 first wife (in a polygamous household)

Characters

old woman; wife

Examples

在传统社会里，大老婆的地位最高。

Zài chuántǒng shèhuì lǐ, dàlǎopó de dìwèi zuì gāo.

In traditional society, the primary wife had the highest status.

他的大老婆管着家里的财务。

Tā de dàlǎopó guǎn zhe jiā lǐ de cáiwù.

His first wife managed the household finances.

Tips

culture

Refers to the principal wife (正妻) in old Chinese polygamous households, contrasted with 小老婆 (concubine). The term is now historical but appears constantly in period dramas.

register

Colloquial. The formal/literary equivalent is 正妻 or 嫡妻.

Stroke Order

大 dà

老 lǎo

婆 pó