Meanings of 妻子
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Podcast: 妻子
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AI Study Notes for 妻子
妻子 (wife) vs 夫人 (madam, often implying a more formal or respectful address for a wife) — use 妻子 when referring to one's wife in a familial context, while 夫人 is more formal or honorific.
A common mistake is using '妻' (qī) alone to mean 'wife', which is less formal and may not convey the same familial connotation. The term is informal enough for daily conversation but can also be used in formal settings. Be cautious with tone; '妻' is pronounced qī (first tone), while '子' is pronounced zǐ (third tone).
As an HSK Level 2 word, 妻子 connects with other family-related vocabulary such as '丈夫' (zhàng fū, husband) and '孩子' (hái zi, child). Focus on pronunciation and the ability to form simple sentences that describe family relationships using this word.
Learners often confuse 妻子 with 女儿 (nǚ'ér, daughter), mistakenly using 妻子 to refer to children. For example, saying '我的妻子在学校' (wǒ de qī zi zài xué xiào) means 'My wife is at school,' but using 妻子 to mean 'daughter' is incorrect.
Pronunciation of 妻子
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Component Characters
How to say wife and children in Chinese
“wife and children” in Chinese is妻子
妻子 (qī zi) means 'wife' in Mandarin. It is commonly used to refer to a woman in a marital relationship, and can also imply the family unit including both the wife and children. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing family matters.
When to use 妻子
A common mistake is using '妻' (qī) alone to mean 'wife', which is less formal and may not convey the same familial connotation. The term is informal enough for daily conversation but can also be used in formal settings. Be cautious with tone; '妻' is pronounced qī (first tone), while '子' is pronounced zǐ (third tone).
妻子 or something close to it
妻子 (wife) vs 夫人 (madam, often implying a more formal or respectful address for a wife) — use 妻子 when referring to one's wife in a familial context, while 夫人 is more formal or honorific.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 妻子 with 女儿 (nǚ'ér, daughter), mistakenly using 妻子 to refer to children. For example, saying '我的妻子在学校' (wǒ de qī zi zài xué xiào) means 'My wife is at school,' but using 妻子 to mean 'daughter' is incorrect.
Write 妻子
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Frequently Asked Questions about 妻子
No, 妻子 specifically means 'wife.' For 'girlfriend,' you would use 女朋友 (nǚ péng yǒu).
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