巫婆

• Pinyin: wū pó
• Hanzi breakdown: 巫 = 工 + 人 (two people and a connecting bar — the shaman linking heaven and earth); 婆 = 波 + 女 (older woman)

Meaning

Witch; sorceress; female shaman or folk ritual practitioner. Refers to a woman believed to practise magic, sorcery, or traditional folk ritual.

In traditional Chinese culture, can refer to a female shaman who communicates with spirits (sometimes respected, sometimes feared). In modern colloquial use, often pejorative — a scary, cunning, or manipulative older woman. Common in folklore, fairy tales, and casual speech.

Examples

1. 童话故事里的巫婆施了一道魔咒，把王子变成了一只青蛙，直到真爱之吻才能解除。 In the fairy tale, the witch cast a spell that turned the prince into a frog, and only true love’s kiss could break it.
2. 村子里有个据说能与鬼神沟通的巫婆，许多人遇到解决不了的麻烦都会悄悄去找她。 There’s a woman in the village said to be able to communicate with spirits, and when people run into problems they can’t solve, they quietly go to her for help.
3. 邻居家的老太太性格古怪，总被孩子们私下称为巫婆，虽然这样叫很不礼貌。 The elderly woman next door has an odd personality, and the kids privately call her a witch, even though it’s very rude.

Usage Guide

Context: folklore, colloquial, children's literature

Tone: informal

Do Say

• 在这部奇幻小说中，住在深山里的巫婆虽然外貌可怖，但实际上是一个守护森林的智慧老人。(In this fantasy novel, the witch living deep in the mountains has a frightening appearance but is in fact a wise elder who protects the forest.)
• 他气愤地骂对方是老巫婆，虽然只是一时失态，但这句话还是深深伤害了对方的感情。(He angrily called the other person an old witch — though it was merely a momentary loss of composure, those words still deeply hurt her feelings.)

Don't Say

• 巫婆 is informal and often pejorative — in formal or academic contexts discussing ritual practitioners use 巫师 (shaman) or 女巫 (female shaman/witch); 巫婆 implies an old woman and carries negative connotations in most modern contexts

Origin & History

巫 (shaman, one who mediates between humans and spirits) + 婆 (old woman, matron)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal