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媪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
媪ǎoold woman; lower-class womang, 12 strokes, radical 女
ǎo(ao3)ao T3
  1. 1old woman; lower-class woman
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March 24, 2026

媪(媼)ǎo(ao3)

The character 媪 (ǎo) refers to an old woman or a lower-class woman, often with a connotation of being elderly and not in a position of power. It can be used in various contexts, sometimes with a tone of endearment or respect, but it may also carry a derogatory implication depending on the usage.

Strokes12Radical女
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the status and age of women can influence their social standing, and the term 媪 reflects this societal structure, highlighting the respect accorded to elderly women despite their lower social status.

Memory tip

Imagine an old woman with a gray hair bun (the top part of the character 媪 resembles hair tied up) sitting in a quiet corner, sharing stories of the past. The 'ǎo' sound can remind you of 'aunt,' often used for older women in a familiar way.

Meanings of 媪

ǎo(ao3)
1old woman; lower-class woman
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 媪

媪Simplified
媼Traditional
12Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 媪

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Podcast: 媪

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AI Study Notes for 媪

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when using 媪, as it can be perceived as disrespectful if used improperly. It's more commonly used in informal settings, and it may often appear in conversations about family or social class. Pairing it with terms like '奶奶' (nǎinai, grandmother) can soften its connotation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 媪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other terms describing people, especially those concerning age and social status. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature or dialogues that depict family dynamics.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 媪 with 嫂 (sǎo) which refers to an older sister-in-law, leading to misunderstandings in familial contexts. It's important to distinguish their meanings based on age and relationship.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 媪

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Etymology of 媪

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)昷
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

媪 = 女 + 昷. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 媪

IDS Structure⿰女昷
媪Full character
=
女nü3
left
昷wen1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 媪?

How to say old woman; lower-class woman in Chinese

“old woman; lower-class woman” in Chinese is媪ǎo

The character 媪 (ǎo) refers to an old woman or a lower-class woman, often with a connotation of being elderly and not in a position of power. It can be used in various contexts, sometimes with a tone of endearment or respect, but it may also carry a derogatory implication depending on the usage.

When to use 媪

Be cautious with the tone when using 媪, as it can be perceived as disrespectful if used improperly. It's more commonly used in informal settings, and it may often appear in conversations about family or social class. Pairing it with terms like '奶奶' (nǎinai, grandmother) can soften its connotation.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 媪 with 嫂 (sǎo) which refers to an older sister-in-law, leading to misunderstandings in familial contexts. It's important to distinguish their meanings based on age and relationship.

Write 媪

媪

Practice writing 媪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 媪

Words containing this character1
媪ǎoold woman媼

Frequently Asked Questions about 媪

It can be respectful in certain contexts, but it may also be viewed as derogatory, so it's important to consider the tone and setting.

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