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小女 (xiǎo nǚ) — (humble term) my daughter (referring to one's own daughter)

Definition

A humble, formal way to say 'my daughter' when speaking to others. Use only of yourself — never for someone else's daughter.

noun
(humble term) my daughter (referring to one's own daughter)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 小女，。
    Zhè shì xiǎo nǚ, jīn nián gāng shàng dà xué.
    This is my daughter; she just started university this year.
  • 小女。
    xiǎo nǚ Cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan huà huà.
    My daughter has loved drawing since she was little.
  • ，小女。
    Chéng méng nín guān xīn, xiǎo nǚ zuì jìn hěn hǎo.
    Thank you for your concern; my daughter has been doing well recently.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

小xiǎohumble
女nǚdaughter

小 gives a humble tone, and 女 refers to a daughter, forming a polite term for one's own daughter.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

女 shows a woman with folded arms, kneeling or standing. In the modern form the figure faces right, and the small enclosed part is what is left of one arm.

Open 女 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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