A gentlewoman is a woman of a high social class — the old female match for gentleman. In past centuries it could mean a woman of good birth, or a woman who served a queen or a great lady.

A gentlewoman是一位 is a woman of a high social class出身高社會階層的女性——the old female match for gentleman是gentleman(紳士)舊時的女性版。In past centuries在過去的年代 it could mean它可能是指 a woman of good birth出身良好的女性, or a woman who served a queen or a great lady或是服侍王后或貴婦的女性。

You will meet it in history and in older stories. Almost nobody uses it in ordinary talk now; we say lady, or just name the person.

You will meet it你會在 in history and in older stories歷史和舊時的故事裡看到它。Almost nobody uses it in ordinary talk now現在幾乎沒有人在日常對話裡用它; we say lady我們會說lady, or just name the person或直接叫這個人的名字。

Though actually, it does not mean 'a woman who is gentle and kind'. Gentle here is the old 'well-born' sense, the same as in gentleman.

Though actually不過事實上, it does not mean它不是指 'a woman who is gentle and kind'一個溫柔善良的女人。Gentle here這裡的gentle is the old 'well-born' sense是舊時「出身良好」的意思, the same as in gentleman跟gentleman裡的用法一樣。

A kind shop worker is not a gentlewoman in this meaning, and a cold, proud woman of rank still was one. Some writers today bring it back on purpose, to sound old or to balance gentleman.

A kind shop worker一個善良的店員 is not a gentlewoman in this meaning在這個意思上不是gentlewoman, and a cold, proud woman of rank而一個冷淡高傲、出身貴族的女人 still was one卻仍然算是。Some writers today今天有些作家 bring it back on purpose故意把這個字找回來用, to sound old or to balance gentleman為了聽起來古老、或跟gentleman對稱。