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March 24, 2026
儿女(兒女)érnǚ(er2nu:3)
儿女 (ér nǚ) refers to children, specifically sons and daughters. This term is commonly used in familial contexts when discussing one's offspring, emphasizing both male and female children collectively.
Frequency#13349DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 儿女 is deeply tied to family values and filial piety, highlighting the importance of having children to continue the family lineage. Families often celebrate the birth of a child with great joy, emphasizing the cultural significance attached to sons and daughters.
Memory Tip
Imagine a family with a son (儿) and a daughter (女) playing together. The son is outside (儿) and the daughter is inside (女), symbolizing the unity of both genders in a family. The pronunciation 'ér nǚ' sounds like 'ear new', which reminds you to listen to the stories of your children.
Meanings of 儿女
érnǚ(er2nu:3)
1children
2sons and daughters
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About 儿女
儿女Simplified
兒女Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 儿女
Podcast: 儿女
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AI Study Notes for 儿女
Quick Contrast
儿子 (érzi) refers specifically to a son, while 女儿 (nǚ'ér) refers specifically to a daughter; 儿女 encompasses both sons and daughters.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a family with a son (儿) and a daughter (女) playing together. The son is outside (儿) and the daughter is inside (女), symbolizing the unity of both genders in a family. The pronunciation 'ér nǚ' sounds like 'ear new', which reminds you to listen to the stories of your children.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 儿女 with just 儿 (ér), which means 'son' or 'child' in a more general sense. This term is informal and is commonly used in daily conversation. Common collocations include '有儿女' (have children) and '儿女情长' (deep affection for one's children).
HSK Study Tips
While 儿女 is not a specific HSK level word, it can be useful for learners at HSK 3 and above, as it relates to family vocabulary. Students should focus on using this term in sentences about family and personal relationships.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 儿女 is deeply tied to family values and filial piety, highlighting the importance of having children to continue the family lineage. Families often celebrate the birth of a child with great joy, emphasizing the cultural significance attached to sons and daughters.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 儿女 to refer to children in a general sense without specifying gender, which can lead to confusion. Instead, use 孩子 for a gender-neutral term. An incorrect example is '我有三个儿女' when referring to a mixed-gender group and not emphasizing the sons and daughters specifically.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 儿女
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Cultural Notes for 儿女
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the terms '儿女' encompass both sons and daughters, reflecting the traditional importance of family and lineage. Family is considered the cornerstone of Chinese society.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 儿女 is deeply tied to family values and filial piety, highlighting the importance of having children to continue the family lineage. Families often celebrate the birth of a child with great joy, emphasizing the cultural significance attached to sons and daughters.
📜Proverb
There's a saying: '儿女情长', which means 'the love for children is profound'. This highlights the deep emotional connection parents have with their children.
Frequently Asked Questions about 儿女
儿女 and 孩子 both refer to children, but they are not completely interchangeable. 儿女 specifically emphasizes sons and daughters, while 孩子 (hái zi) is a more general term for children. In casual conversation, you might hear either, but context will determine the best choice.
In Chinese culture, 儿女 hold significant importance as they represent the continuation of the family lineage and heritage. Families often place great emphasis on raising children to carry on traditions and values, making the term 儿女 particularly meaningful in discussions about family roles and expectations.
儿女 (ér nǚ) means 'children' in Chinese, specifically referring to sons and daughters. It is a term often used to denote offspring in a familial context. The characters '儿' (ér) means 'son' and '女' (nǚ) means 'daughter'.
You can use 儿女 in sentences to refer to your children or someone's children. For example, '我有两个儿女' means 'I have two children'. This shows how the term can be used to express familial relationships.
儿女 specifically refers to sons and daughters, while 孩子 (háizi) is a more general term for children regardless of gender.
儿女 is generally more informal and conversational; in formal contexts, you might prefer using 子女 (zǐ nǚ), which is more neutral.
You can say '我有两个儿女' (I have two children), which clearly states that you have both a son and a daughter.
