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work as a governess (for [sb])
work as a governess 表示“担任家庭女教师”，for 后接雇主或家庭。
She worked as a governess for a wealthy family in London.
她在伦敦一个富裕人家做家庭女教师。
女家庭教师；家庭女教师
governesses — plural of governess
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
女家庭教师；家庭女教师
a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child (especially in a private home)
She worked as a governess for a wealthy family in London.
她在伦敦一个富裕人家做家庭女教师。
受雇在家里教育儿童的女人；女家庭教师。
A woman paid to educate children in their own home.
受托照顾和监督孩子的女性(尤其是在私人家庭中)
a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child (especially in a private home)
The governess taught the children reading and arithmetic every morning.
这位家庭女教师每天上午教孩子们阅读和算术。
When the family traveled abroad, the governess came along to look after the youngest child.
那家人出国旅行时，家庭女教师随行照看最小的孩子。
Many old novels feature a young governess who falls in love with the father of the house.
许多旧小说里都有一位年轻家庭女教师爱上男主人的情节。
work as a governess 表示“担任家庭女教师”，for 后接雇主或家庭。
She worked as a governess for a wealthy family in London.
她在伦敦一个富裕人家做家庭女教师。
to 后接被照顾的孩子，强调看管对象；for 更多表示雇佣关系。
She was a governess to the Earl's three children.
她是伯爵三个孩子的家庭女教师。
所有格形式在口语中很常见，比 the governess of the children 更自然。
The children's governess took them for a walk.
孩子们的家庭女教师带他们去散步。
Not this
She works as a governess in a high school.
Use this
She works as a teacher in a high school.
governess 专指在私人家庭中受雇照管并教育儿童的女性家庭教师；在学校里教课的人应说 teacher，不能把 governess 当作“女教师”的同义词。
Not this
The governor appointed her governess of the province.
Use this
The governor appointed her governor of the province.
governess 不是“女总督/女州长”，它指家庭女教师。表示治理某地的女性官员用 governor，不要被 -ess 后缀误导。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
雇佣家庭女教师
In the 19th century, wealthy families would employ a governess to educate their daughters at home.
在19世纪，富裕家庭会雇佣家庭女教师在家教育女儿。
担任家庭女教师
After finishing school, she went to Russia to serve as a governess for a noble family.
毕业后，她去了俄国，为一个贵族家庭担任家庭女教师。
孩子的家庭女教师
She was hired as governess to the children of the local doctor.
她被聘为当地医生孩子们的家庭女教师。
住家家庭女教师
The family advertised for a live-in governess who could also teach music and French.
这家人登广告招聘一位住家家庭女教师，要求还能教音乐和法语。
孩子们的家庭女教师
The children's governess took them for a walk in the park every afternoon.
孩子们的家庭女教师每天下午带他们去公园散步。
Use governesses naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
governess 拆成 govern（管理）+ -ess（女性后缀），联想为“管理孩子学习的女性”，即家庭女教师。
语域：formal 常见场景：historical or literary texts、private household settings in older periods governess 多用于指旧时或文学作品中受雇于私人家庭、负责照管和教导孩子的女性家庭教师；在现代日常口语中比较少见，通常带有历史或正式色彩。
governess /ˈɡʌvɝnəs/ 的重音在首音节，末尾 -ness 读作 /nəs/。witness、happiness、kindness、stillness、business 都以 -ness 拼写并读作 /nəs/，但重音和元音不同，不能算押韵。govern /ˈɡʌvərn/ 是拼写相似的形近词，结尾读音不同，注意区分。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.