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小伙子 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoung manHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1569, Medium
小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoung guyHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1569, Medium
小伙子xiǎohuǒziladHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1569, Medium
小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoungsterHSK 4, n, 12 strokes, rank #1569, Medium
xiǎohuǒzi(xiao3huo3zi5)xiao huo zi T3
  1. 1young man
  2. 2young guy
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March 24, 2026

小伙子xiǎohuǒzi(xiao3huo3zi5)

小伙子 (xiǎo huǒ zi) refers to a young man or lad, typically used to describe someone who is youthful and energetic. This term is often used in informal contexts and can convey a sense of friendliness and approachability when referring to young men.

Strokes12Frequency#1569DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the term 小伙子 often conveys a sense of optimism and hope for the future, reflecting the value placed on youth and vitality in society. It's common to hear this term in discussions about work, education, and social gatherings.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'little fire' (小伙) representing a young man's energy and vigor, with 'zi' (子) implying youthfulness. Visualize a young man bursting with enthusiasm like a small flame that brings warmth and brightness.

Meanings of 小伙子

xiǎohuǒzi(xiao3huo3zi5)
1young man
2young guy
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 小伙子

小伙子Simplified
12Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1569Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 小伙子

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Podcast: 小伙子

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AI study notes for 小伙子

Quick Contrast

青年 (qīngnián) - use 小伙子 for a more informal and friendly tone, while 青年 is more neutral and formal.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 小伙子 in overly formal contexts where a more neutral term like 男子 (nán zǐ) would be appropriate. It's often used in casual conversation, and learners should be mindful of the informal tone when using it. Additionally, it typically collocates with verbs like '看见' (kànjiàn - to see) or '认识' (rènshi - to know).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 4 word, 小伙子 connects with themes of youth and relationships. Students should focus on its usage in conversational phrases and colloquial expressions, as well as practicing related vocabulary about age and gender.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 小伙子 as a formal title; for example, saying '小伙子先生' (xiǎo huǒ zi xiān sheng) is incorrect. Instead, simply use 小伙子 without titles for informal contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 小伙子

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Component characters

小xiǎosmall
HSK 13 strokes小
View full entry
伙huǒcompanion; group; partner
HSK 56 strokes亻
View full entry
子zison
HSK 33 strokes子
View full entry

How to say young man in Chinese

“young man” in Chinese is小伙子xiǎohuǒzi

小伙子 (xiǎo huǒ zi) refers to a young man or lad, typically used to describe someone who is youthful and energetic. This term is often used in informal contexts and can convey a sense of friendliness and approachability when referring to young men.

When to use 小伙子

Common mistakes include using 小伙子 in overly formal contexts where a more neutral term like 男子 (nán zǐ) would be appropriate. It's often used in casual conversation, and learners should be mindful of the informal tone when using it. Additionally, it typically collocates with verbs like '看见' (kànjiàn - to see) or '认识' (rènshi - to know).

小伙子 or something close to it

青年 (qīngnián) - use 小伙子 for a more informal and friendly tone, while 青年 is more neutral and formal.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 小伙子 as a formal title; for example, saying '小伙子先生' (xiǎo huǒ zi xiān sheng) is incorrect. Instead, simply use 小伙子 without titles for informal contexts.

Write 小伙子

小
伙
子

Practice writing 小伙子 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 小伙子

小伙子 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 4 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 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这个____是我们学校的英国留学生。他来中国之前,在英国学过一点儿中文。

This young man is a British exchange student at our school. Before he came to China, he had studied a little Chinese in England.

Example sentences for 小伙子 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
36岁的汉德拉身体健壮,有着21岁小伙子的体能。

36 suì de hàn dé lā shēntǐ jiànzhuàng, yǒuzhe21 suì xiǎohuǒzi de tǐnéng。

Xandra is an athletic 36-year-old with a 21-year-old's body.
2
来吧,小伙子。你该回家了。

lái ba, xiǎohuǒzi。 nǐ gāi huíjiā le。

Come along, lad. Time for you to get home.
3
喝醉酒这种情况小伙子都会有。

hē zuì jiǔ zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng xiǎohuǒzi dūhuì yǒu。

Getting drunk is a thing all young men do.
4
他是个不错的小伙子——聪明伶俐而且性格开朗。

tā shì gè búcuò de xiǎohuǒzi—— cōngmíng línglì érqiě xìnggé kāilǎng。

He was a nice lad — bright and with a sunny disposition.
5
他是个敏感的小伙子,有些批评刺痛了他。

tā shì gè mǐngǎn de xiǎohuǒzi, yǒuxiē pīpíng cì tòng le tā。

He's a sensitive lad and some of the criticism has stung him.
6
两个小伙子正在松散的砾石路面上赛摩托车。

liǎng gè xiǎohuǒzi zhèngzài sōng sǎn de lì dàn lùmiàn shàng sài mótuōchē。

Two young men were racing motorcycles on the loose gravel.
7
她一下子就爱上了这个好小伙子.

tā yīxiàzi jiù ài shàng le zhège hǎo xiǎohuǒzi.

She took the good fellow to her heart immediately.
8
小伙子们争着给她留下好印象.

xiǎohuǒzi men zhēng zhe gěi tā liúxia hǎo yìnxiàng.

The boys were vying with each other to impress her.
9
他们将那几个小伙子带了进来,然后放狗咬他们。

tāmen jiāng nà jǐ gè xiǎohuǒzi dài le jìnlái, ránhòu fàng gǒu yǎo tāmen。

They brought the young men in and set the dogs on them.
10
“你一定是在等哪位小伙子吧,”她揶揄道。

“ nǐ yídìng shì zài děng nǎ wèi xiǎohuǒzi ba,” tā yé yú dào。

"You must be expecting a young man," she teased.
11
这个小伙子虽然年纪轻轻,但已经是公司的技术骨干。

Zhège xiǎohuǒzi suīrán niánjì qīngqīng, dàn yǐjīng shì gōngsī de jìshù gǔgàn.

Although this young man is quite young, he is already a technical backbone of the company.
12
小伙子们在公园里踢足球,充满活力和朝气。

Xiǎohuǒzimen zài gōngyuán lǐ tī zúqiú, chōngmǎn huólì hé zhāoqì.

The young men are playing soccer in the park, full of energy and vitality.
13
这个小伙子的创新想法为公司带来了新的发展机遇。

Zhège xiǎohuǒzi de chuàngxīn xiǎngfǎ wèi gōngsī dàilái le xīn de fāzhǎn jīyù.

This young man's innovative ideas have brought new development opportunities for the company.
14
这个小伙子虽然年纪轻轻,但已经是公司的技术骨干。

Zhège xiǎohuǒzi suīrán niánjì qīngqīng, dàn yǐjīng shì gōngsī de jìshù gǔgàn.

Although this young man is quite young, he is already a technical backbone of the company.
15
小伙子们在公园里踢足球,充满活力和朝气。

Xiǎohuǒzimen zài gōngyuán lǐ tī zúqiú, chōngmǎn huólì hé zhāoqì.

The young men are playing soccer in the park, full of energy and vitality.
16
这个小伙子的创新想法为公司带来了新的发展机遇。

Zhège xiǎohuǒzi de chuàngxīn xiǎngfǎ wèi gōngsī dàilái le xīn de fāzhǎn jīyù.

This young man's innovative ideas have brought new development opportunities for the company.

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Frequently asked questions about 小伙子

No, 小伙子 specifically refers to younger men; for older men, use 男士 (nán shì) or 大叔 (dà shū) for an older uncle.

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