thái hậu

[tʰaːj˧˦ həw˧˨ʔ]

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

(noun) queen dowager, queen mother, empress dowager

Noun

Where it’s used: Used Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora

Examples

Stratagems of the Warring States; Vietnamese translation Nguyễn Hiến Lê & Giản Chi; English translation by Paul R. GoldinQueen Dowager Xuan of Qin loved Wei Choufu. When the Queen Dowager fell ill and was about to die, she issued an order, saying: “When I am buried, Master Wei must accompany me in death.”

Wiktionary example (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sources & notes

Imported from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); community review pending. source ↗

Common questions

What does “thái hậu” mean?

(noun) queen dowager, queen mother, empress dowager

Is “thái hậu” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.