Meanings of 甥
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About 甥
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Podcast: 甥
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AI Study Notes for 甥
侄 (zhí) - use 甥 (shēng) for a sibling's child, while 侄 (zhí) refers specifically to a brother's child.
Use 甥 primarily in familial contexts when discussing relationships with your sister's children. Be careful not to confuse it with other terms for niece or nephew that refer to the children of brothers, as this character is specific to sisters. The tone is important; ensure you pronounce it with the first tone (shēng) to convey the correct meaning.
While 甥 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK level vocabulary related to family and relationships. Students should focus on understanding familial terms and how they interact, especially in conversations about family structures.
Learners often confuse 甥 with 侄子 (zhízi), which refers to a nephew from a brother. A common mistake is saying '我的甥子是我的兄弟的孩子' (Wǒ de shēngzi shì wǒ de xiōngdì de háizi), which means 'My nephew is my brother's child,' instead of using 侄子.
Pronunciation of 甥
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Etymology of 甥
Phonosemantic compound. 男 represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 甥
Phonosemantic compound. 男 represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half男 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half生 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayboy
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 甥? 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
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Decomposition of 甥
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How to say niece, nephew; sister's child in Chinese
“niece, nephew; sister's child” in Chinese is甥
The character 甥 (shēng) refers specifically to a nephew or niece, particularly the child of one's sister. It is commonly used in familial contexts to describe relationships within a family, particularly when discussing siblings and their offspring.
When to use 甥
Use 甥 primarily in familial contexts when discussing relationships with your sister's children. Be careful not to confuse it with other terms for niece or nephew that refer to the children of brothers, as this character is specific to sisters. The tone is important; ensure you pronounce it with the first tone (shēng) to convey the correct meaning.
甥 or something close to it
侄 (zhí) - use 甥 (shēng) for a sibling's child, while 侄 (zhí) refers specifically to a brother's child.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 甥 with 侄子 (zhízi), which refers to a nephew from a brother. A common mistake is saying '我的甥子是我的兄弟的孩子' (Wǒ de shēngzi shì wǒ de xiōngdì de háizi), which means 'My nephew is my brother's child,' instead of using 侄子.
Write 甥
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Practice writing 甥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 甥
Compound Meaning
What does 外甥 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 甥
You can say, '我有一个甥子' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè shēngzi), meaning 'I have a nephew.'
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