男子

• Pinyin: nán zǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 男 = 田 (field) + 力 (strength), a person working the land; 子 = pictograph of a child, here used as a formal suffix

Meaning

Man; male. A formal term for an adult male person.

More formal than 男人 or 男的. Commonly seen in news reports (一名男子 = a man), sports contexts (男子100米 = men's 100 metres), and official language. Not used in casual conversation to refer to men you know personally — use 男的 or 男人 instead.

Examples

1. 一名男子在路上捡到了一个钱包。 A man found a wallet on the road.
2. 男子一百米决赛今天下午举行。 The men's 100-metre final is being held this afternoon.
3. 那个男子看起来大约三十岁左右。 That man looks like he is about thirty years old.

Usage Guide

Context: news, sports, official reports

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这场男子篮球比赛非常精彩。(This men's basketball game was very exciting.)
• 警察正在寻找一名男子。(The police are looking for a man.)

Don't Say

• 这位男子是我哥哥。(Avoid 男子 when introducing people you know — it sounds like a news report. Use 男的 or just his name.)

Origin & History

男 depicts a field (田) and strength (力), representing a man working the land; 子 originally meant child but also serves as a formal suffix for 'person'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal