A concubine, in the past, was a woman who lived with a man and had a sexual relationship with him while that man already had a wife — or several wives. In some societies she had a recognised place in the household, but she stood lower than a wife: fewer rights, less honour, and her children often ranked below the wife’s children. You meet the word in history, old stories, and talk of royal courts — emperors, kings, and rich men in places where law or custom allowed this.

A concubine, in the past, was a womanconcubine在過去是指一個女人who lived with a man and had a sexual relationship with him跟一個男人同住，並和他有性關係while that man already had a wife — or several wives而那個男人已經有一位妻子，或好幾位妻子。In some societies she had a recognised place in the household在某些社會裡，她在家中有被承認的地位but she stood lower than a wife: fewer rights, less honour但地位低於正妻：權利較少、地位較低and her children often ranked below the wife's children她的孩子通常排名也低於正妻的孩子。You meet the word in history, old stories, and talk of royal courts你會在歷史、老故事，以及談論宮廷的場合遇到這個字emperors, kings, and rich men in places where law or custom allowed this像是在法律或習俗允許這種事的地方，皇帝、國王、有錢人。

It is not a modern word for a girlfriend, and it is not simply a secret affair. A mistress today is usually unofficial and hidden; a concubine, in the world this word describes, had a known rank, just not the wife’s rank.

It is not a modern word for a girlfriend它不是現代用來指女朋友的字and it is not simply a secret affair也不只是單純的秘密戀情。A mistress today is usually unofficial and hidden現在的mistress（情婦）通常是不公開、隱藏的a concubine, in the world this word describes, had a known rank, just not the wife's rank而concubine在這個字所描述的世界裡，是有公開身份的，只是不是正妻的身份。

Though actually, English now uses it almost only about the past, or about historical drama. Calling a living person a concubine can sound cold or insulting, as if you are reducing her to a grade in a house. The word names the woman, not the man. Formal English keeps it; when students think of old Chinese courts, the identities they already know as 妾 or 嬪妃 are the ones this English word is reaching for.

Though actually, English now uses it almost only about the past, or about historical drama不過其實，現在的英文幾乎只用這個字來談過去，或歷史劇。Calling a living person a concubine can sound cold or insulting稱一個活著的人為concubine可能聽起來冷漠或帶有侮辱as if you are reducing her to a grade in a house好像把她簡化成家中的一個等級。The word names the woman, not the man這個字指的是女人，不是男人。Formal English keeps it正式英文還留著這個字when students think of old Chinese courts當學生想到古代中國宮廷時the identities they already know as 妾 or 嬪妃 are the ones this English word is reaching for他們已經知道的「妾」或「嬪妃」這些身份，正是這個英文字想指的對象。