男女

• Pinyin: nán nǚ
• Hanzi breakdown: 男 = 田 (field) + 力 (strength) — strength in the field; 女 = pictograph of a kneeling woman

Meaning

Men and women; male and female. A collective term for both genders.

Used as a general term to refer to both sexes collectively. Commonly appears in phrases like 男女老少 (men and women, old and young — meaning everyone), 男女平等 (gender equality), and 男女关系 (male-female relations). It can function as both a noun and an attributive modifier.

Examples

1. 这所学校的男女比例大概是一比一。 The male-to-female ratio at this school is about one to one.
2. 男女平等是社会进步的重要标志。 Gender equality is an important sign of social progress.
3. 游泳池的男女更衣室是分开的。 The men's and women's changing rooms at the swimming pool are separate.

Usage Guide

Context: society, institutions, demographics

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个活动不分男女，都可以参加。(This event is open to all, regardless of gender.)
• 男女同学之间应该互相尊重。(Male and female classmates should respect each other.)

Don't Say

• 用'男女'来称呼某一对情侣 (Don't use 男女 to refer to a specific couple — use 男朋友和女朋友 or simply 他们俩 instead)

Origin & History

A straightforward compound of 男 (male) and 女 (female) — pairing the two gender characters.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal