Meanings of 男女
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AI Study Notes for 男女
男 (man) vs 女 (woman) — use 男女 when referring to both genders together, rather than separately.
When using 男女, be cautious not to confuse it with similar terms like 性别 (xìngbié), which means 'gender.' This term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but be aware of the tone when discussing sensitive gender topics. Common collocations include 男女平等 (nán nǚ píngděng) meaning 'gender equality.'
Although 男女 is not specifically listed in HSK vocabulary, it aligns with HSK Level 3 themes like family and relationships. Students should focus on its usage in gender discussions and practice constructing sentences that include other HSK vocabulary related to family and society.
Learners often mistakenly use 男女 to refer to gender identity in a broader sense, while it specifically denotes male and female. For example, saying '男女包括所有性别' (nán nǚ bāokuò suǒyǒu xìngbié) is incorrect; it should be '男女是男性和女性' (nán nǚ shì nánxìng hé nǚxìng).
Pronunciation of 男女
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Component Characters
How to say male-female in Chinese
“male-female” in Chinese is男女
男女 (nán nǚ) refers to both males and females, highlighting the distinction and relationship between the two genders. It is commonly used in discussions about gender roles, societal issues, and demographics. The term emphasizes the coexistence and equality of men and women in various contexts.
When to use 男女
When using 男女, be cautious not to confuse it with similar terms like 性别 (xìngbié), which means 'gender.' This term is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but be aware of the tone when discussing sensitive gender topics. Common collocations include 男女平等 (nán nǚ píngděng) meaning 'gender equality.'
男女 or something close to it
男 (man) vs 女 (woman) — use 男女 when referring to both genders together, rather than separately.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 男女 to refer to gender identity in a broader sense, while it specifically denotes male and female. For example, saying '男女包括所有性别' (nán nǚ bāokuò suǒyǒu xìngbié) is incorrect; it should be '男女是男性和女性' (nán nǚ shì nánxìng hé nǚxìng).
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Common Confusions with 男女
Similar shape and pronunciation, but '女' means female.
Similar shape and pronunciation, but '男' means male.
Which one
Which one means “male-female”?
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Frequently Asked Questions about 男女
男女 is pronounced as 'nán nǚ', with 'nán' in the second tone and 'nǚ' in the third tone.
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