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字源zìyuánEtymology & Structure
字源洞见 zìyuán dòngjiàn · Etymological Insight
女 nǚ is a pictograph — the oracle-bone form shows a figure kneeling or seated with arms crossed at the chest. The interpretation of this posture has been debated: some scholars see a woman in a respectful or subordinate posture (reflecting the patriarchal social order in which the script was created); others see a mother nursing or a dancer in ceremonial position. Whatever the original intent, the character has always denoted "woman" or "female."
女 has an exceptionally high radical productivity — it is one of the most common radicals in Chinese, appearing in characters for female family members, proper names (many women's names use 女 radical characters), emotions, and certain concepts. Its frequency reflects the centrality of women to the family system that Chinese society was organized around.
Compound words with 女: 女儿 nǚ'ér (daughter), 女人 nǚrén (woman), 女士 nǚshì (Ms./Madam — polite address), 女孩 nǚhái (girl), 女生 nǚshēng (female student), 女朋友 nǚpéngyou (girlfriend), 女王 nǚwáng (queen). As a prefix, 女 is used to mark the female counterpart: 女演员 nǚ yǎnyuán (actress), 女医生 nǚ yīshēng (female doctor).
女 nǚ (female) + 儿 ér (child; son — used neutrally here). Daughter. The contrast with 儿子 érzi (son — lit. "child-son") reflects the historical preference for male heirs, though modern Chinese families increasingly express equal or stronger preference for daughters (掌上明珠 zhǎngshàng míngzhū — "pearl in the palm" — is a common phrase of endearment for a daughter). 女儿国 nǚ'érguó = "country of daughters" — the kingdom of women in Journey to the West.
他有一个女儿，今年十岁，学习很好。
Tā yǒu yī gè nǚ'ér, jīnnián shí suì, xuéxí hěn hǎo.
He has a daughter who is ten this year — she does very well in school.
姓 xìng (surname) + 名 míng (given name). The formal term for a full name. Note: Chinese names are surname-first, given-name-second — the opposite of Western convention. 你叫什么名字？= "What is your name?" (informal, just the name). 请问您的姓名？= "May I ask your full name?" (formal). 百家姓 Bǎijiāxìng (Book of Surnames — the famous text listing the 100 common Chinese surnames) is one of the most-memorized classical texts.
请填写您的姓名、性别和出生日期。
Qǐng tiánxiě nín de xìngmíng, xìngbié hé chūshēng rìqī.
Please fill in your full name, sex, and date of birth.
婚姻hūnyīnmarriage; matrimony
N 名词 míngcí
婚 hūn (marriage — 女 woman + 昏 dusk, from the tradition of evening weddings) + 姻 yīn (marriage-alliance; matrimony — 女 woman + 因 cause/connection). The formal compound for marriage. 婚礼 hūnlǐ = wedding ceremony. 结婚 jiéhūn = to get married. 离婚 líhūn = to divorce. 婚姻法 hūnyīn fǎ = Marriage Law (the civil statute governing marriage in China).
幸福的婚姻需要双方共同努力。
Xìngfú de hūnyīn xūyào shuāngfāng gòngtóng nǔlì.
A happy marriage requires effort from both parties.
成语chéngyǔIdioms & Set Phrases
望女成凤wàng nǚ chéng fènghoping your daughter will become a phoenix — parental ambition for daughtersThe female counterpart to 望子成龙 wàng zǐ chéng lóng (hoping your son will become a dragon). 凤 fèng (phoenix) is the female auspicious creature paired with 龙 (dragon). The phoenix — 凤凰 fènghuáng — represents feminine grace, beauty, and virtue. Parents "hoping their daughter will become a phoenix" are hoping she will be accomplished, successful, and distinguished.
巾帼英雄jīn guó yīngxióngheroine — a woman of exceptional courage and achievementLit: kerchief-hood hero. 巾帼 jīnguó refers to the traditional women's headdress — by extension, women collectively. A 巾帼英雄 is a female hero — a woman who has achieved what is extraordinary even by the standards of men. Hua Mulan 花木兰 is the archetype. Used to praise exceptional women in any field.