Meanings of 儿童
By ear
Play it, then pick what 儿童 means.
About 儿童
Podcast: 儿童
Podcast: 儿童
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 儿童
少年 (shàonián) refers to adolescents and is used for older children, typically those in their teenage years, while 儿童 (értóng) specifically refers to younger children.
Be careful to use 儿童 in contexts that require a formal tone, as it might be inappropriate in casual conversations where '小孩' (xiǎo hái) is more common. Common collocations include '儿童教育' (ér tóng jiàoyù - children's education) and '儿童健康' (ér tóng jiànkāng - child health).
As an HSK 4 vocabulary word, 儿童 connects with other terms related to family and age, like 家庭 (jiātíng - family) and 青少年 (qīngshàonián - teenager). Students should focus on understanding context and usage in both spoken and written forms.
Learners often confuse 儿童 with 小孩, leading to incorrect usage in informal settings. For instance, saying '我有两个儿童' (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè ér tóng) is less natural than '我有两个小孩' (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè xiǎo hái).
Pronunciation of 儿童
Drill the tone of 儿童 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason Explains 儿童 to You
Let me explain 儿童 for you
Make it yours
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 儿童 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 儿童?
Learning Lab
Knowing 儿童 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
- MeaningFree
- CharacterFree
- PinyinFree
- TonePro
- ListeningPro
- SpeakingPro
- WritingPro
Component Characters
How to say child in Chinese
“child” in Chinese is儿童
儿童 (ér tóng) refers to children, typically those who are not yet adolescents. This term is commonly used in educational, healthcare, and social contexts to discuss matters related to minors. It denotes a specific age group and is often used in formal discussions about children's rights, education, and welfare.
When to use 儿童
Be careful to use 儿童 in contexts that require a formal tone, as it might be inappropriate in casual conversations where '小孩' (xiǎo hái) is more common. Common collocations include '儿童教育' (ér tóng jiàoyù - children's education) and '儿童健康' (ér tóng jiànkāng - child health).
儿童 or something close to it
少年 (shàonián) refers to adolescents and is used for older children, typically those in their teenage years, while 儿童 (értóng) specifically refers to younger children.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 儿童 with 小孩, leading to incorrect usage in informal settings. For instance, saying '我有两个儿童' (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè ér tóng) is less natural than '我有两个小孩' (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè xiǎo hái).
Write 儿童
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 儿童 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 儿童
儿童 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.
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
纪律的目的是教育____举止得体。
The aim of discipline is to teach children to behave acceptably.
Example Sentences for 儿童 (10)
Ask Jason
Have a question about 儿童?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Frequently Asked Questions about 儿童
Yes, 儿童 can be used to refer to children generally, but it is more formal compared to other terms like 小孩 (xiǎo hái).
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 儿童?
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.