servant

Compared meaning: a servant, someone who works for another person (noun).

比较义项：仆人（名词）。

• servant 本词

  The plain, everyday word for someone employed to do housework or personal chores; neutral register, used for ordinary domestic help in any era.

  最普通、日常的说法，指受雇做家务或杂务的人；语域中性，可用于任何时代的普通家仆。

  The servant prepared breakfast early every morning before the family woke up.

  仆人每天早上在家人醒来之前就早早准备好了早餐。

• retainer

  A formal, somewhat old-fashioned word for an attendant who serves and is loyal to a wealthy or important person, often historical in tone.

  语气正式、略带古旧色彩，指侍奉并效忠于富有或有权势之人的随从，常带有历史色彩。

  The old lord traveled everywhere with a retainer who carried his sword and cloak.

  那位老爵爷走到哪里都带着一个随从，替他拿剑和披风。

Servant and retainer both mean a person who serves someone else. Servant is the plain, everyday word for someone employed to do housework. Retainer is more formal and old-fashioned: an attendant loyal to an important or powerful person, often historical in tone.

两个词都指为他人做家务或跟随身边的人，但 retainer 语气更正式、带有历史色彩，多指侍奉重要或有权势之人的随从；servant 是最普通、现代常用的说法，泛指受雇在家中做工的人。