自閉症 / 自闭症
zìbìzhèng
The English word "autism" is translated into Chinese as 自閉症 / 自闭症 (zìbìzhèng). If unsure, use 自閉症 / 自闭症. Wiktionary also lists 孤獨症 / 孤独症 (gūdúzhèng).
Meaning: neurological disorder (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 自閉症 / 自闭症 | zìbìzhèng |
| 孤獨症 / 孤独症 | gūdúzhèng |
The term refers to the neurological disorder known as autism.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 自閉症 (zìbìzhèng) literally means "self-closing disorder" or "self-shutting disorder".
Which one should you use?
自閉症 / 自闭症 (zìbìzhèng) carries a connotation of "social withdrawal," while 孤獨症 / 孤独症 (gūdúzhèng) literally means "loneliness disorder".
Is it said differently in some regions?
自閉症 uses traditional characters, while 自闭症 uses simplified characters as used in mainland China.
How do you pronounce it?
zìbìzhèng
Did you know?
- The term 自閉症 is actually a 'Wasei kango', meaning it is a Japanese-made version of Chinese characters that was later imported into the Chinese language.
- The word 自閉 can be used colloquially to describe a person who has 'shut themselves off' from social life, moving beyond its strict medical definition.
- Depending on where you are, you might encounter 自閉症 in Hong Kong or Taiwan, whereas mainland China has a much longer history of using the invented term 孤獨症.
Examples in context
- 我们要提高对自闭症儿童的认识和支持。(Wǒmen yào tígāo duì zìbìzhèng értóng de rènshi hé zhīchí.)We need to enhance awareness and support for children with autism.
- 这本书是关于孤独症儿童的生活和困境的。(Zhè běn shū shì guān yú gūdúzhèng értóng de shēnghuó hé kùnjìng de.)This book is about the lives and challenges of children with autism.
- 那个孩子可能是自闭的，我们需要多关心他。(Nàgè háizi kěnéng shì zì bì de, wǒmen xūyào duō guānxīn tā.)That child might have autism, we need to care more about him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “autism” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 孤獨症, 自閉症, CC BY-SA 4.0.
