Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 孩子 | háizi | /xaɪ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /xɛ²⁴ t͡sɹ̩⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 小孩 | xiǎohái | /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xaɪ̯³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴ xaɪ̯⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 小孩子 | xiǎoháizi | /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ xaɪ̯³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /siːu̯³⁵ haːi̯²¹ t͡siː³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 小孩兒 / 小孩儿 | xiǎoháir | ||
| 孺子 | rúzǐ | /ɻu³⁵ t͡sɹ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /jyː²¹ t͡siː³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
literary |
| 囡仔 | gín-á | /kin⁵⁴⁻²⁴ a⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Hui'an, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Yongchun) /kin⁴²⁻²⁴ a⁴²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Hui'an, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Yongchun) |
Hokkien |
| 囡仔人 | gín-á-lâng | /kin⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ a⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ laŋ²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Sinological IPA) /kin⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a⁵³⁻⁴⁴ laŋ²⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
The word is used to refer to a son or daughter, or more generally to someone's offspring.
Which one should you use?
小孩 (xiǎohái) is a colloquial term that specifically emphasizes a 'small child' or a young child. In contrast, 孩子 (háizi) is a more general term used for one's offspring or a child regardless of their age. 小孩子 (xiǎoháizi) is an endearing or affectionate way to refer to a child.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
儿童 (értóng) is a common and formal term to refer to a child. 孩童 (háitóng) is a formal term that carries a literary and poetic feel. For highly formal or literary contexts, such as classical texts or formal prose, use 孺子 (rúzǐ).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, the forms хэзы, щёхэр, вава and ва are used. In Hokkien, you can use 囡仔 (gín-á) or 囡仔人 (gín-á-lâng).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 孩子 (háizi) does not change its form to indicate plurality. To indicate the number of children, you typically add a number or a measure word before it.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is háizi. The IPA is /xaɪ̯³⁵ dz̥ɹ̩³/.
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, a person is often referred to as a 孩子 (háizi) by their parents even well into adulthood, sometimes into their 40s or 50s.
- In certain regions, calling someone 'child' using a term like 囡仔人 (gín-á-lâng) can be used by elders to address much younger adults in a way that is condescending rather than affectionate.
- In Chinese, when calling out to one's own child affectionately, people often add a repetitive syllable to the end of a name or descriptor, turning the concept of the child into a rhythmic nickname.
Examples in context
- 她不是小孩。She's not a child.This sentence is useful for seeing how to negate the noun with the form 小孩.Tatoeba #1192429 by sadhen, translation #1191962 by Anon
- 你有孩子嗎？Do you have a child?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's offspring using the form 孩子.Tatoeba #1960023 by egg0073, translation #852857 by piksea
- 小孩大声呼叫。The child cried loudly.This sentence is useful for describing the actions of a child using the form 小孩.Tatoeba #3380568 by go_oo, translation #6403833 by alishalikescats
- 儿童禁止入内children are not allowed inside
- 这个医生专门为小孩提供服务this doctor specializes in providing services for children
- 科学是孩童探索未知的道路science is the path for children to explore the unknown
- 这个孩子很聪明this child is very intelligent
- 我的小孩子在学校表现很好my child is doing well in school
- 宝宝好可爱，笑得像个天使the baby is so adorable, smiling like an angel
- 157 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their families at a park.
- 雨婷 Yuting你的孩子几岁了？Nǐ de háizi jǐ suì le?How old is your child?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我的孩子三岁了。Wǒ de háizi sān suì le.My child is three years old.
- 雨婷 Yuting她看起来很可爱。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn kě'ài.She looks very cute.
- 志强 Zhiqiang谢谢，她很喜欢玩。Xièxiè, tā hěn xǐhuān wán.Thanks, she loves to play.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations and entries 孩子, 小孩, 小孩子, 孺子, 囡仔, 囡仔人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
