Meanings of 妳
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 妳
Podcast: 妳
Podcast: 妳
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 妳
你 (nǐ) is the standard form of 'you' and can be used for any gender, while 妳 (nǎi) is specifically for addressing females.
妳 is primarily used in informal contexts and may not be appropriate in formal settings, where 你 is preferred. Learners should be cautious with tone; using 妳 incorrectly can sound overly familiar or disrespectful. Common collocations include 妳好 (nǐ hǎo) meaning 'hello' specifically to a female.
Although 妳 does not appear in HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your conversational skills, particularly in informal situations. Students should practice using both 妳 and 你 to differentiate contexts and relationships.
Learners often confuse 妳 and 你, using 妳 in formal contexts where it would be inappropriate. For example, saying 妳好 in a business meeting would be incorrect; it should be 你好.
Pronunciation of 妳
Drill the tone of 妳 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Etymology of 妳
You 尔 (female) 女
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 妳
- 1The giveawayYou 尔 (female) 女
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 妳? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 妳?
Decomposition of 妳
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 妳?
How to say you (female) in Chinese
“you (female)” in Chinese is妳
The character 妳 (nǎi) is a colloquial form of 'you' specifically used when addressing females. While 你 (nǐ) is the standard form for 'you' and can be used for any gender, 妳 is less common and carries a softer, more intimate tone, often seen in informal contexts among friends or in romantic relationships.
When to use 妳
妳 is primarily used in informal contexts and may not be appropriate in formal settings, where 你 is preferred. Learners should be cautious with tone; using 妳 incorrectly can sound overly familiar or disrespectful. Common collocations include 妳好 (nǐ hǎo) meaning 'hello' specifically to a female.
妳 or something close to it
你 (nǐ) is the standard form of 'you' and can be used for any gender, while 妳 (nǎi) is specifically for addressing females.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 妳 and 你, using 妳 in formal contexts where it would be inappropriate. For example, saying 妳好 in a business meeting would be incorrect; it should be 你好.
Write 妳
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 妳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 妳
Compound Meaning
What does 妳 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 妳
妳 is more commonly used in casual writing, like text messages or social media, but is less frequent in formal writing.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 妳?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.