女儿

• Pinyin: nǚ ér
• Hanzi breakdown: 女 = pictograph of a woman; 儿 = pictograph of a child

Meaning

Daughter. The standard word for one's female child.

Used to refer to one's own daughter or someone else's daughter. In casual speech, 闺女 is also used in northern dialects. 女儿 is universally understood and appropriate in all contexts.

Examples

1. 他的女儿今年五岁了。 His daughter is five years old this year.
2. 我女儿很喜欢画画。 My daughter really likes drawing.
3. 她有两个女儿。 She has two daughters.

Usage Guide

Context: family, everyday

Tone: affectionate

Do Say

• 我女儿上小学了。(My daughter is in primary school now.)
• 你女儿真可爱！(Your daughter is so cute!)

Don't Say

• 她是我的女孩。(Unnatural for 'daughter' — use 女儿, not 女孩 which just means 'girl')

Origin & History

A compound of 女 (female/woman) and 儿 (child), literally 'female child.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal