辫子

• Pinyin: biàn zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 辫 = 辛 (bitter) + 糸 (silk) + 辛 — threads twisted together; 子 = noun suffix

Meaning

Braid; pigtail; plait.

Refers to braided hair, whether one braid or two pigtails. Historically associated with the Qing dynasty queue. The idiom 抓辫子 means to catch someone's mistake or weakness and use it against them.

Examples

1. 她梳着两条长辫子，看起来特别清纯。 She wore two long braids, looking especially sweet and innocent.
2. 小时候妈妈每天早上都给我编辫子。 When I was little, mom would braid my hair every morning.
3. 别让人抓住辫子，做事要小心谨慎。 Don't give people anything to hold against you — be careful in everything you do.

Usage Guide

Context: hairstyle, appearance, idiom

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 她扎着辫子。(She has her hair in braids.)
• 别让人抓辫子。(Don't let people catch you on your mistakes.)

Don't Say

• 把马尾辫叫辫子 (A simple ponytail isn't 辫子 — 辫子 specifically means braided/plaited hair)

Origin & History

辫 (braid) + 子 (noun suffix). A braid.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal