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男子汉 (nán zǐ hàn) — a real man; a man of character (emphasizing courage, responsibility, and strength)

Definition

A culturally loaded term for 'a real man' — emphasizes courage, responsibility, and inner strength, not just being male. Closer in tone to 男人 but carries moral weight (a man of character), not just 'man/male'.

noun
a real mana man of character (emphasizing courage, responsibility, and strength)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 男子汉，。
    Tā shì gè zhēn zhèng de nán zǐ hàn, yù dào kùn nan cóng bú tuì suō.
    He's a real man — he never backs down when facing difficulties.
  • 男子汉。
    Cóng xiǎo bà ba jiù jiào yù wǒ yào zuò yí gè dǐng tiān lì dì de nán zǐ hàn.
    Since I was little, my father taught me to be a man who stands tall and upright.
  • ，男子汉，。
    Bié kū le, nǐ shì nán zǐ hàn, yào jiān qiáng yì diǎn.
    Don't cry — you're a man, be a bit stronger.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

男子male person
男nánmale子zǐperson
偏正Modifier + head
汉hànman

男子 (male person) and 汉 (man) reinforce each other to mean a real man.

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.

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

Open 子 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 汉 →
Appears in
People (General)

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