女人

• Pinyin: nǚ rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 女 = pictograph of a woman; 人 = pictograph of a standing person

Meaning

Woman; adult female. The general term for a grown woman.

A straightforward term for an adult female. In some contexts it can sound slightly blunt or informal compared to 女士 (lady/Ms), which is more polite. Used commonly in both spoken and written Chinese.

Examples

1. 那个女人是我妈妈的朋友。 That woman is my mom's friend.
2. 这个女人很有名。 This woman is very famous.
3. 商店里有很多女人在买东西。 There are many women shopping in the store.

Usage Guide

Context: description, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 她是一个很好的女人。(She is a very good woman.)
• 那个女人在打电话。(That woman is making a phone call.)

Don't Say

• 用女人直接称呼别人。(Don't address someone directly as 女人 — it sounds rude; use 女士 for polite address)

Origin & History

A compound of 女 (female) and 人 (person), literally 'female person.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal