Basic Meaning
The character 女 (nǚ) primarily means "woman" or "female." It is used to refer to adult women, girls, or the female gender in general.
Usage in Daily Life
You will often see 女 used in words related to females, such as 女孩 (girl), 女朋友 (girlfriend), and 女员工 (female employee). It can stand alone as a noun or be part of compound words.
Common Collocations
- 女孩子 (nǚ háizi): girl, often used to refer to a young female child.
- 女朋友 (nǚ péngyǒu): girlfriend, a common term in relationships.
- 女员工 (nǚ yuángōng): female employee, used in workplace contexts.
Nuances and Tips
When 女 is used alone, it usually refers to a female person but can be vague without context. It is often combined with other characters to specify age, relationship, or role.
Avoid confusing 女 with 男 (nán), which means "male." Also, 女 is a common radical in many characters related to women or femininity, so recognizing it helps in learning related vocabulary.