紙娃娃 / 纸娃娃
zhǐwáwá
The English phrase 'avatar' can be translated into Chinese as 紙娃娃 / 纸娃娃 (zhǐwáwá) or 頭像 / 头像.
Meaning: digital representation of a person or being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 紙娃娃 / 纸娃娃 | zhǐwáwá |
| 頭像 / 头像 | tóuxiàng |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 頭像 / 头像 literally translates to 'head image'.
Which one should you use?
頭像 / 头像 is the standard term for a profile picture or digital avatar used on social media and messaging apps. 紙娃娃 / 纸娃娃 refers to a digital representation of a person or being.
How do you pronounce it?
zhǐwáwá
Did you know?
- A person's 'avatar' in a high-end 3D game might be called an 化身 / 化身, a word that also means 'incarnation' or 'manifestation'.
- While 頭像 / 头像 is used for digital profiles, the term 紙娃娃 / 纸娃娃 literally means 'paper doll'. It evokes the nostalgic image of physical paper cut-outs used for dress-up games.
- The word 娃娃 in 紙娃娃 is a common reduplicative noun used to make words sound cute or childlike, a frequent pattern in Chinese.
Examples in context
- 我在社交媒体上换了个新的头像。I changed my profile picture on social media.
- 他以化身的形式降临人间。He descended to earth in the form of an avatar.
- 这个虚拟世界中的头像设计得非常精彩。The avatar design in this virtual world is fantastic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “avatar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
