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娃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
娃
wá
baby
ng, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #9025, Very Hard
娃
wá
doll
ng, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #9025, Very Hard
娃
wá
baby; doll; pretty girl
ng, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #9025, Very Hard
wá(wa2)wa T2
1baby
2doll
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March 24, 2026
娃wá(wa2)
The character 娃 (wá) primarily means 'baby' or 'doll.' It is often used in contexts related to children or to describe something cute and playful, such as a pretty girl. This character is commonly found in compound words related to childhood and innocence.
Strokes9Radical女Frequency#9025DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, dolls (娃娃) often symbolize childhood innocence and are used in various traditions. For example, during celebrations like the Spring Festival, parents may give dolls to their children as gifts to wish for good fortune.
Memory tip
Imagine a cute '娃娃' (wáwá) doll that looks like a baby. The character 娃 has a '女' (nǚ) radical on the left, which indicates its relation to femininity and children, while the right part '娃' sounds like 'wá,' reminding you of the playful sounds of babies.
Meanings of 娃
wá(wa2)
1baby
2doll
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 娃 means.
About 娃
娃Simplified
9Strokes
女Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#9025Frequency Rank
Podcast: 娃
Podcast: 娃
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AI study notes for 娃
Quick Contrast
娃 (wá) vs 孩子 (háizi) — use 娃 for a more affectionate or playful connotation, while 孩子 is a more general term for 'child.'
Usage Notes
Learners may confuse 娃 with similar-sounding words like '华' (huá), which means 'splendid.' This word is informal, often used in everyday conversation, and can appear in phrases like '娃娃车' (wáwá chē) meaning 'baby carriage.' Pay attention to the pronunciation to avoid mixing it up with other tones.
HSK Study Tips
Although 娃 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects well with HSK Level 1 words like '小' (xiǎo) meaning 'small' and '大' (dà) meaning 'big.' Students should focus on using 娃 in simple phrases about children or family.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly write 娃 as '娃娃' (wáwá) when they mean to use it in a more formal context. Remember, 娃 can stand alone, but '娃娃' specifically refers to a doll.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 娃
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Knowing 娃 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 娃 (wá) primarily means 'baby' or 'doll.' It is often used in contexts related to children or to describe something cute and playful, such as a pretty girl. This character is commonly found in compound words related to childhood and innocence.
When to use 娃
Learners may confuse 娃 with similar-sounding words like '华' (huá), which means 'splendid.' This word is informal, often used in everyday conversation, and can appear in phrases like '娃娃车' (wáwá chē) meaning 'baby carriage.' Pay attention to the pronunciation to avoid mixing it up with other tones.
娃 or something close to it
娃 (wá) vs 孩子 (háizi) — use 娃 for a more affectionate or playful connotation, while 孩子 is a more general term for 'child.'
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly write 娃 as '娃娃' (wáwá) when they mean to use it in a more formal context. Remember, 娃 can stand alone, but '娃娃' specifically refers to a doll.
Write 娃
娃
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Practice writing 娃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 娃
娃 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他是伊____最深恶痛绝的那种人中的典型。
He was the quintessence of all that Eva most deeply loathed.
Example sentences for 娃 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他是伊娃最深恶痛绝的那种人中的典型。
tā shì yī wá zuì shēn è tòng jué de nà zhǒng rén zhōng de diǎnxíng。
He was the quintessence of all that Eva most deeply loathed.
2
诺娃女士拥有一副美妙动听的好嗓音，对此她深以为豪。
nuò wá nǚshì yōngyǒu yī fù měimiào dòngtīng de hǎo sǎngyīn， duì cǐ tā shēn yǐwéi háo。
Ms Nova is the proud possessor of a truly incredible voice.
3
伊娃的声音里可能会有一丝羡慕吗？
yī wá de shēngyīn lǐ kěnéng huì yǒu yī sī xiànmù ma？
Could there have been a slight tinge of envy in Eva's voice?
