Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 乳房 | rǔfáng | /ɻu²¹⁴⁻²¹ fɑŋ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /jyː¹³ fɔːŋ²¹/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 胸 | xiōng | /ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /hʊŋ⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 奶 | ling, ni | /ni⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Taipei, Tainan, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Magong) /nĩ⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Taipei, Tainan, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Magong) |
Hokkien |
The term is used to refer to the milk-producing organ. Depending on the context, Chinese speakers may use different words to refer to the anatomical breast, the general chest area or specific cuts of meat like chicken breast.
What does it mean word for word?
乳房 is composed of 乳, meaning milk and 房, meaning room or chamber.
Which one should you use?
While 胸 (xiōng) can refer to the breasts in specific contexts such as 'chicken breast', its primary and more general meaning is 'chest'. In contrast, 乳房 is the specific anatomical term for the breast.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
乳房 is the standard, formal and medical term for the anatomical breast. 胸 is a colloquial way to refer to the chest or breast area in casual conversation. The term 奶子 is a slang term for breasts. It is highly informal and may be considered rude or offensive.
Is it said differently in some regions?
奶 (ling, ni) is a Hokkien term for breast.
How do you pronounce it?
rǔfáng
Did you know?
- The word 胸 may share a common ancestor with the Khmer word ទ្រុង (trung), which refers to a 'cage' or 'ribcage'.
Examples in context
- 利馬想要縮胸。Rima wants a breast reduction.This sentence shows the use of 胸 in the context of a medical procedure.Tatoeba #13180314 by LeviHighway, translation #11776334 by Amastan
- 湯姆每天吃飯要嘛配魚，要嘛配雞胸肉。Tom eats rice every day either with fish or with chicken breast.This sentence demonstrates how to use 胸 when referring to chicken breast meat.Tatoeba #13982159 by LeviHighway, translation #13976808 by maaster
- 他的胸部肌肉让人印象深刻。His chest muscles leave a strong impression.
- 她觉得自己的胸部不够大。She feels that her chest is not big enough.
- 醫學研究常討論乳房健康。Yīxué yánjiū cháng tǎolùn rǔfáng jiànkāng.Medical research often discusses breast health.
Example conversation
A couple is discussing health concerns at home.
- 梓涵 Zihan我的乳房这里感觉有点肿。Wǒ de rǔfáng zhèlǐ gǎnjué yǒudiǎn zhǒng.My breast feels a bit swollen here.
- 伟 Wei你是不是最近压力太大了？Nǐ shì bú shì zuìjìn yālì tài dà le?Have you been under too much stress lately?
- 梓涵 Zihan我也不确定，但还是有点担心。Wǒ yě bù quèdìng, dàn háishì yǒudiǎn dānxīn.I'm not sure, but I'm still a bit worried.
- 伟 Wei我们明天一起去看医生吧。Wǒmen míngtiān yìqǐ qù kàn yīshēng ba.Let's go see a doctor together tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breast” translations and entries 乳房, 胸, 奶, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 奶, 胸, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
