肚子
dùzi
In Chinese, 'belly' can be translated as 肚子 (dùzi). Wiktionary also lists 腹 (fù) and 腹部 (fùbù).
Meaning: abdomen (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 肚子 | dùzi |
| 腹 | fù |
| 腹部 | fùbù |
The term 肚子 is used to describe the belly. It is also used idiomatically to refer to one's hunger or appetite, such as in the phrase 肚子饿了 (belly is hungry).
Which one should you use?
肚子 is the common, colloquial term for belly or stomach used in daily conversation. In contrast, 腹部 is a formal, anatomical term used in medical or professional contexts. 腹 is a formal, single-character root often found in compound words or classical literary Chinese.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix 子 in 肚子 is a common noun-forming suffix in Mandarin and does not add a separate meaning of 'child' in this context.
How do you pronounce it?
dùzi
Did you know?
- The word for 'belly' in Chinese shares a distant ancestral root with the word for 'cave' or 'hollow object', likely referring to the body as a hollow vessel.
Examples in context
- 我打了他的肚子。I hit him in the belly.This sentence shows the use of 肚子 to describe hitting someone in the belly.Tatoeba #846375 by Martha, translation #401967 by CK
- 他的体形生得很匀称！肩膀宽，腰身窄，肚子又没凸出来。His body type is born balanced! Wide shoulders, slim waist, belly not popping outwards.This sentence uses 肚子 to describe a balanced body type where the belly does not protrude.Tatoeba #420900 by sysko, translation #11282705 by Aphima
- 医生检查我的 腹部 时，我感到有点紧张。When the doctor examined my belly, I felt a bit nervous.
- 我吃得太多了，现在的 肚子 鼓鼓的。I ate too much, and now my belly is bloated.
- 宝宝的肚子圆圆的。Bǎobǎo de dùzi yuán yuán de.The baby's belly is round.
Example conversation
Jiayi and Haoran are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，你肚子饿不饿？Hàorán, nǐ dùzi è bù è?Haoran, are you hungry?
- 浩然 Haoran我很饿，肚子在叫呢。Wǒ hěn è, dùzi zài jiào ne.I'm very hungry, my stomach is growling.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那我们现在去吃饭吧。Nà wǒmen xiànzài qù chīfàn ba.Then let's go eat now.
- 浩然 Haoran好，走吧！Hǎo, zǒu ba!Okay, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “belly” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 腹, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
