Meanings of 媳
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About 媳
Podcast: 媳
Podcast: 媳
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AI Study Notes for 媳
媳 (daughter-in-law) vs 妻 (wife) — use 媳 when specifically referring to a daughter-in-law in relation to her in-laws, whereas 妻 refers to a wife in a more general sense.
Imagine a woman (the daughter-in-law) wearing a traditional dress with a smiling face, symbolizing the happiness of joining a new family. The character 媳 can be broken down: 女 (nǚ) means woman, hinting at its relation to female family members, combined with a component that can evoke the idea of 'joining' or 'marrying into'.
Learners often confuse 媳 with other familial terms such as 妻 (qī), which means wife. 媳 is more specific to daughter-in-law, so using it in family contexts is key. Avoid using it in overly formal settings, as it is more common in everyday conversation.
As this character is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels focusing on family vocabulary. Students should relate 媳 to other family terms like 妻 (wife) and 子 (son) to understand family dynamics better.
In Chinese culture, the role of the daughter-in-law is significant, often involving various responsibilities and expectations within the household. This character reflects the importance of family and marriage in Chinese society.
Learners may mistakenly use 媳 when referring to a wife, confusing it with 妻. For example, saying '我的媳是医生' (Wǒ de xí shì yīshēng) should be corrected to '我的妻是医生' (Wǒ de qī shì yīshēng) to mean 'My wife is a doctor.'
Pronunciation of 媳
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Etymology of 媳
Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 息 represents the sound.
woman
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 媳?
Decomposition of 媳
Identify the Components
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Write 媳
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Practice writing 媳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 媳
媳 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
问 :“你给刘二黑收了个童养____? ”
" Are you raising a girl at home to be Young Blacky's wife? "
Example Sentences for 媳 (3)
Cultural Notes for 媳
In Chinese culture, the role of the daughter-in-law is significant, often involving various responsibilities and expectations within the household. This character reflects the importance of family and marriage in Chinese society.
Word Family of 媳
Compound Meaning
What does 媳妇 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 媳
While it can be used in formal contexts, it is more commonly found in informal conversation about family.