cici kız
/d͡ʒid͡ʒi kɯz/from spelling rules
The English phrase "good girl" is translated into Turkish as cici kız.
The phrase cici kız is used to praise a young girl for being well-behaved or sweet. It is most commonly used when speaking to young children or even pets to praise their behavior.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of cici, a colloquial term meaning cute, sweet or nice and kız, which means girl.
Which one should you use?
While cici kız emphasizes being sweet or well-behaved, the phrase akıllı kız is used to praise a girl for being clever or sensible.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cici kız is an informal, affectionate way to praise a child and is not used for adults.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /dʒidʒi kɯz/. The /dʒ/ sound is like the [j] in jump, the /i/ sound is like the [ee] in creek, the /k/ sound is like the [c] in core, the /ɯ/ sound is somewhat like the [o] in ribbon and the /z/ sound is like the [z] in zone.
Did you know?
- Because cici is so informal and carries a 'cute' connotation, using it on an adult woman could be seen as patronizing or even insulting.
- The word cici is a reduplication, which is a common way in Turkish to create playful or affectionate words by repeating a sound.
- The root of kız can be traced back to Proto-Turkic, making it a distant linguistic relative of the Chuvash word хӗр.
Examples in context
- Bak, ne kadar cici kız.Look, what a sweet girl.
Example conversation
Mehmet is praising Selin for helping with the chores.
- MehmetSelin, bana çok yardım ettin.Selin, you helped me a lot.
- SelinRica ederim, Mehmet.You're welcome, Mehmet.
- MehmetCanım benim, ne cici kızsın!My dear, what a good girl you are!
- SelinTeşekkür ederim!Thank you!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cici, kız, CC BY-SA 4.0.
