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毛孩子 (máo hái zǐ) — (colloquial) kid, little one (often affectionate or teasing)

Definition

An affectionate, often teasing term for a young child (literally 'hairy kid', but the 毛 is just a cute prefix — it has nothing to do with hair). Used when speaking to or about kids in a warm, casual way.

noun
(colloquial) kidlittle one (often affectionate or teasing)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge xiǎo máo hái zǐ zhēn tiáo pí.
    This little kid is really naughty.
  • 毛孩子？
    Nǐ jiā nà ge máo hái zǐ jǐ suì le?
    How old is that kid of yours?
  • ，毛孩子，。
    Bié kū le, máo hái zǐ, mā ma mǎ shàng huí lái.
    Don't cry, little one, mom will be back soon.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

毛máoyoung/immature
孩子child
孩háichild子zǐ
后缀Suffix

毛 (young/immature) plus 孩子 (child) gives a colloquial, affectionate term for a small child.

Characters in this word

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Open 毛 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài孩hái
Same sound today

In 孩, the left part 子 shows a child, while the right part 亥 supplies the sound.

Open 孩 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Life Stages & AgePeople (General)

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