男孩
nánhái/nän³⁵ xaɪ̯³⁵/
The English word boy is translated into Mandarin as 男孩 (nánhái). Wiktionary also lists 少年 (shàonián) and 男孩子 (nánháizi).
Meaning: male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 男孩 | nánhái | /nän³⁵ xaɪ̯³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nän³⁵ xɑɻ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 男孩兒 / 男孩儿) |
|
| 少年 | shàonián | /ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ʂɔ⁴⁴ niæ̃²⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 男孩子 | nánháizi | /nän³⁵ xaɪ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /naːm²¹ haːi̯²¹ t͡siː³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 小伙子 | xiǎohuǒzi | /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴ d͡z̥ɹ̩⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɕiau⁵³ xo⁵³ t͡sɹ̩⁵³⁻²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 丈夫囡仔 | ta-po͘-gín-á, cha-po͘-gín-á | /ta⁴⁴⁻²² pɔ⁴⁴⁻²² kin⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Philippines, Sinological IPA) /ta³³ pɔ³³ kin⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ a⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Philippines, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
| 查埔𡢃仔 / 查埔㛠仔 | cha-po͘-kán-á | Hokkien |
The term is used to refer to a male child.
What does it mean word for word?
The character 男 means male and serves as the root for many words related to boys and men.
Which one should you use?
男孩 is a general term for a boy. In contrast, 男孩子 is a slightly more colloquial or diminutive way to refer to a boy child. If you are referring to an older boy or an adolescent, use 少年 instead. The term 小伙子 refers to a young boy or a guy.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern China, the term 小伙子 is often used to represent a young boy or a guy.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
nánhái (IPA: /nän³⁵ xaɪ̯³⁵/)
Did you know?
- The character 男 (nán) is composed of the radicals for 'field' and 'strength', suggesting that a 'man' or 'boy' is someone who uses strength in the fields.
- In ancient Chinese texts, the concept of a 'boy' was often tied to the term 童, which specifically referred to children who had not yet reached the age of adulthood or official duty.
- While 男孩 is the standard term, parents often use 'milk' related nicknames or 'small' modifiers to refer to their boys, reflecting a cultural tendency toward affectionate diminutive terms.
Examples in context
- 男孩到家了。The boy has come home.This sentence shows the use of 男孩 for a boy coming home.Tatoeba #7773126 by jiangche, translation #1174861 by CK
- 男孩微微笑。The boy is smiling.This sentence shows the use of 男孩 for a boy smiling.Tatoeba #13519166 by LeviHighway, translation #13131838 by atitarev
- 这个男孩是谁？Who is this boy?This sentence shows the use of 男孩 when asking about a boy's identity.Tatoeba #2004693 by sadhen, translation #1388966 by CK
- 这个小伙子真聪明This young man is really smart
- 那个小男孩很可爱That little boy is very cute
- 173 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yuting and Zhiqiang are looking at a photo of a child.
- 雨婷 Yuting这个男孩很可爱。Zhège nánhái hěn kě'ài.This boy is very cute.
- 志强 Zhiqiang他是我的侄子。Tā shì wǒ de zhízi.He is my nephew.
- 雨婷 Yuting那个男孩几岁了？Nàge nánhái jǐ suì le?How old is that boy?
- 志强 Zhiqiang他今年五岁。Tā jīnnián wǔ suì.He is five years old this year.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries 男孩, 少年, 男孩子, 小伙子, 丈夫囡仔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
