女性

• Pinyin: nǚ xìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 女 = pictograph of a woman kneeling; 性 = 忄(heart) + 生 (life), nature/character

Meaning

Female; woman; women. Referring to the female sex or gender.

More formal than 女人 and less colloquial. Used in official contexts, academic discussions, and when discussing gender issues. Common collocations: 女性权益 (women's rights), 女性消费者 (female consumers), 职业女性 (professional women).

Examples

1. 这家公司的女性员工占总人数的一半以上。 Female employees at this company account for more than half of the total.
2. 现代社会中，女性的地位有了很大提高。 In modern society, the status of women has improved greatly.
3. 这款产品主要针对年轻女性消费者。 This product mainly targets young female consumers.

Usage Guide

Context: gender, workplace, research, marketing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 女性在职场中面临更多挑战。(Women face more challenges in the workplace.)
• 我们需要尊重女性的选择权。(We need to respect women's right to choose.)

Don't Say

• 那个女性很漂亮。(Too formal for casual speech — use 那个女孩/女人 instead)

Origin & History

女 (nǚ, female/woman) + 性 (xìng, nature/gender). The female gender or nature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal