玩具

• Pinyin: wán jù
• Hanzi breakdown: 玩 = 王 (jade/king) + 元 (origin, phonetic) — to handle jade, hence 'to play with'; 具 = pictograph of hands holding an object, meaning 'tool'

Meaning

Toy; plaything. An object designed for children to play with.

Covers all types of children's toys, from simple dolls and cars to electronic games. Can also be used figuratively to describe something treated carelessly. Common compounds include 玩具店 (toy store) and 玩具车 (toy car).

Examples

1. 这个玩具是送给弟弟的生日礼物。 This toy is a birthday present for my little brother.
2. 孩子的房间里到处都是玩具。 The child's room is full of toys everywhere.
3. 她最喜欢的玩具是一只小熊。 Her favourite toy is a small teddy bear.

Usage Guide

Context: family, shopping, children

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我想给孩子买个新玩具。(I want to buy the child a new toy.)
• 请把玩具收好。(Please put the toys away.)

Don't Say

• 我买了一个新的玩具手机。(玩具手机 specifically means a toy phone for children, not a cheap or simple real phone. For real phones, just say 手机.)

Origin & History

玩 means 'to play' and 具 means 'tool' or 'implement'. Together they mean 'a tool for playing' — a toy.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal