男女老幼 (nán nǚ lǎo yòu) — everyone, men and women, old and young; all people

Definition

A set-phrase noun meaning 'everyone — men, women, old, and young.' It emphasizes that the statement applies to all people regardless of age or sex, more emphatic than plain 大家 or 所有的人.

noun
everyonemen and womenold and youngall people

Examples

  • 男女老幼。
    Zhè jiā shāng chǎng xī yǐn le nán nǚ lǎo yòu lái gòu wù.
    This mall attracts people of all ages to shop.
  • 男女老幼。
    Zhè zhǒng yào nán nǚ lǎo yòu dōu shì hé fú yòng.
    This medicine is suitable for everyone, men and women, old and young.
  • 男女老幼。
    Jīn tiān de huó dòng nán nǚ lǎo yòu dōu néng cān jiā.
    Today's event, everyone can participate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

男女men and women
男nánman女nǚwoman
联合Side by side
老幼old and young
老lǎoold幼yòuyoung
联合Side by side

男女 lists men and women, 老幼 lists old and young; together they mean all people.

Characters in this word

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

男 is made from 田, a field, and 力, strength. It shows a man working with strength in a field.

Open 男 →

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 →

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

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

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

幼 is built from 幺, shown as tiny, and 力, shown as strength. 幺 may also contribute the sound.

Open 幼 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.