妇女

• Pinyin: fù nǚ
• Hanzi breakdown: 妇 = 女 (woman) + simplified from 帚 (broom); 女 = pictograph of a woman — adult females collectively

Meaning

Women (collective); adult females. A formal term for women as a group.

A formal and somewhat official term used in legal, political, and social contexts. Common phrases: 妇女节 (Women's Day, March 8), 妇女权益 (women's rights), 妇女解放 (women's liberation). The All-China Women's Federation (全国妇联) uses this term. More casual terms for 'woman' include 女性, 女人, or 女士.

Examples

1. 三月八日是国际妇女节，公司给所有女员工放了半天假。 March 8th is International Women's Day, and the company gave all female employees a half-day off.
2. 这项法律旨在保护妇女和儿童的合法权益。 This law aims to protect the legitimate rights and interests of women and children.
3. 她是一位杰出的妇女活动家，为争取平等权利奋斗了一生。 She was an outstanding women's activist who fought for equal rights her entire life.

Usage Guide

Context: official, legal, social issues

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 妇女节快乐！(Happy Women's Day!)
• 保护妇女权益是全社会的责任。(Protecting women's rights is the responsibility of the whole society.)

Don't Say

• 日常称呼用妇女 (Don't use 妇女 to address or refer to a specific woman in casual conversation — it sounds too formal/official; use 女士 or just describe her role)

Origin & History

Compound of 妇 (married woman) + 女 (woman, female). 妇 originally referred specifically to married women, combining 女 with 帚 (broom), reflecting traditional domestic roles.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal