Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 帽子 | màozi | /mɑʊ̯⁵¹ d͡z̥ɹ̩¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /mau²¹³ t͡sɹ̩⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
| 鴨舌帽 / 鸭舌帽 | yāshémào | |
| 太陽帽 / 太阳帽 | tàiyángmào | |
| 棒球帽 | bàngqiúmào | /pɑŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵ mɑʊ̯⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pʰaːŋ¹³ kʰɐu̯²¹ mou̯²²⁻³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
The general term for a head covering or hat is 帽子. Depending on the specific style of the cap, you might use more descriptive terms such as 鴨舌帽 for a cap with a brim, 太陽帽 for a sun hat or 棒球帽 for a baseball cap.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 帽子 is composed of 帽, meaning hat and 子, which is a common noun suffix. The more specific terms also contain descriptive components: 鴨舌帽 literally translates to 'duck tongue hat', 太陽帽 means 'sun hat' and 棒球帽 means 'baseball hat'.
Which one should you use?
While 帽子 is the general term for any hat or cap, 鴨舌帽 refers specifically to a cap with a brim (a 'duck-tongue' style), 太陽帽 is used for sun hats and 棒球帽 is used for baseball caps.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The variation 帽儿 is commonly used in northern China, particularly in Beijing.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting hats, the most common measure word to use is 顶.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is màozi.
Did you know?
- In Chinese slang, saying someone is 'wearing a green 帽子' is a way to say their partner is cheating on them. It is a highly specific and insulting idiom that has nothing to do with fashion.
- Historically, certain types of 帽子 were strictly regulated by law. During some dynasties, wearing a hat above your social rank could be punished as a crime.
- The word 帽子 can be used as a metaphor for a 'label' or 'title'. 'Putting a 帽子 on someone' refers to unfairly branding them with a political or social stigma.
Examples in context
- 我的帽子丢了。I have lost my cap.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have lost your 帽子.Tatoeba #9012242 by jacintoo, translation #261717 by CK
- 这顶帽子多少钱？What is the price of this cap?This sentence is useful for asking about the price of a 帽子.Tatoeba #5096462 by mirrorvan, translation #57128 by CK
- 保林娜有顶粉帽子。Paulina has a pink cap.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a 帽子.Tatoeba #9958574 by GlossaMatik, translation #1255277 by kalogrenant
- 我喜欢你的帽子。I like your cap.
- 我需要一顶帽子来遮阳。I need a cap to protect from the sun.
- 这个帽儿很好看。This cap looks great.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are shopping for clothes.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这顶帽子很漂亮。Zhè dǐng màozi hěn piàoliang.This cap is very pretty.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你喜欢这顶吗？Nǐ xǐhuān zhè dǐng ma?Do you like this one?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，我想买这顶帽子。Shì de, wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè dǐng màozi.Yes, I want to buy this cap.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们去结账吧。Nà wǒmen qù jiézhàng ba.Then let's go pay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cap” translations and entries 帽子, 棒球帽, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
