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March 24, 2026
婴(嬰)yīng(ying1)
The character 婴 (yīng) refers primarily to an infant or baby. It is commonly used in contexts related to young children, parenting, and healthcare. Additionally, it can convey a sense of endearment or vulnerability associated with very young children.
Strokes11Radical女Frequency#12525DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, there is a strong emphasis on the care and upbringing of infants, often involving traditional practices like wrapping babies snugly. The concept of '育儿' (yù'ér), meaning 'child-rearing', is deeply ingrained in family life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a small baby wrapped in a soft blanket (the character 婴 resembles a person in a cozy wrap). The two components—女 (nǚ), meaning 'woman' or 'female', and baby-related imagery—help you remember it refers to a young child, as they are often cared for by women.
Meanings of 婴
yīng(ying1)
1infant
2baby
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 婴
婴Simplified
嬰Traditional
11Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#12525Frequency Rank
Podcast: 婴
Podcast: 婴
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AI Study Notes for 婴
Quick Contrast
婴 (infant) vs 幼 (young) — use 婴 specifically for very young children or infants, while 幼 can refer to a broader range of youth, including toddlers and young animals.
Usage Notes
婴 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is most common in healthcare or parenting discussions. Beware of using it inappropriately for older children, as it specifically denotes very young infants. Common collocations include 婴儿 (yīng'ér) meaning 'infant' and 婴儿用品 (yīng'ér yòngpǐn) meaning 'baby products'.
HSK Study Tips
While 婴 is not included in HSK levels, it relates to words about family and children commonly found in beginner and intermediate levels. Focus on its usage with family-related vocabulary to build context and understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 婴 with 儿 (ér) and use it for older children, which is incorrect. For example, saying '我的婴儿是五岁' (wǒ de yīng'ér shì wǔ suì) is incorrect; it should be '我的儿子是五岁' (wǒ de érzi shì wǔ suì).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 婴
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 婴?
Decomposition of 婴
IDS Structure⿱⿰贝贝女
婴Full Character
=
贝Bei4
left
贝Bei4
right
女nü3
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 婴?
How to say infant in Chinese
“infant” in Chinese is婴yīng
The character 婴 (yīng) refers primarily to an infant or baby. It is commonly used in contexts related to young children, parenting, and healthcare. Additionally, it can convey a sense of endearment or vulnerability associated with very young children.
When to use 婴
婴 is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is most common in healthcare or parenting discussions. Beware of using it inappropriately for older children, as it specifically denotes very young infants. Common collocations include 婴儿 (yīng'ér) meaning 'infant' and 婴儿用品 (yīng'ér yòngpǐn) meaning 'baby products'.
婴 or something close to it
婴 (infant) vs 幼 (young) — use 婴 specifically for very young children or infants, while 幼 can refer to a broader range of youth, including toddlers and young animals.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 婴 with 儿 (ér) and use it for older children, which is incorrect. For example, saying '我的婴儿是五岁' (wǒ de yīng'ér shì wǔ suì) is incorrect; it should be '我的儿子是五岁' (wǒ de érzi shì wǔ suì).
Write 婴
婴
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Grammar Patterns of 婴
婴 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
Complete the Sentence
他认为____儿几乎就是毫无生命的物体。
He thought of the baby almost as an inanimate object.
Example Sentences for 婴 (10)
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1
他认为婴儿几乎就是毫无生命的物体。
tā rèn wéi yīng ér jī hū jiù shì háo wú shēng mìng de wù tǐ。
He thought of the baby almost as an inanimate object.
2
在黑暗和嘈杂的声音中，婴儿饱受惊吓。
zài hēi àn hé cáo zá de shēng yīn zhōng， ， yīng ér bǎo shòu jīng。
The baby was filled with alarm at the darkness and the noise.
3
我知道有一些狗咬婴儿的事情。
wǒ zhī dào yǒu yī xiē gǒu yǎo yīng ér de shì qíng。
I have known cases where dogs have nipped babies.
4
分娩过程最终非常顺利，生了个健康的男婴。
fēn miǎn guò chéng zuì zhōng fēi cháng shùn lì， ， shēng le gè jiàn kāng de nán。
In the end, it was an easy delivery: a fine baby boy.
5
婴儿的母亲和另外两个孩子一起逃离了火海。
yīng ér de mǔ qīn hé lìng wài liǎng gè hái zǐ yī qǐ táo lí le huǒ hǎi。
The baby's mother escaped from the fire along with two other children.
6
有个婴儿在教堂后部大声啼哭。
yǒu gè yīng ér zài jiào táng hòu bù dà shēng tí kū。
There was an infant squalling in the back of the church.
