女士

• Pinyin: nǚ shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 女 = pictograph of a kneeling woman; 士 = originally a battle-axe shape, symbolising a learned or distinguished person

Meaning

Lady; madam; Ms. A polite and respectful term for addressing or referring to a woman.

A formal, respectful way to address a woman, equivalent to 'Ms' or 'Madam' in English. Used in public announcements (女士们先生们 — ladies and gentlemen), business settings, and polite conversation. More formal than 小姐 (which can sound overly familiar) and more modern than 夫人 (which implies a married woman of status). Commonly paired with a surname: 王女士.

Examples

1. 女士们先生们，欢迎来到今晚的音乐会。 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's concert.
2. 请问您是李女士吗？我是来接您的。 Excuse me, are you Ms Li? I'm here to pick you up.
3. 这位女士在银行工作，对金融很了解。 This lady works at a bank and knows a lot about finance.

Usage Guide

Context: business, public address, polite conversation

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 张女士，您的快递到了。(Ms Zhang, your package has arrived.)
• 各位女士，请往这边走。(Ladies, please come this way.)

Don't Say

• 对年幼的女孩说'女士' (Don't call a young girl 女士 — it sounds oddly formal; use 小朋友 or 同学 for children and students)

Origin & History

A compound of 女 (woman) and 士 (scholar/gentleman) — a woman of standing, paralleling 绅士 (gentleman).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal