Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 男人 | nánrén | /nän³⁵ ɻən³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nan²¹ ɹən²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 男的 | nán de | /nän³⁵ d̥ə³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nan²¹ ni⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 男子 | nánzǐ | /nän³⁵ t͡sɹ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /naːm²¹ t͡siː³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 男子漢 / 男子汉 | nánzǐhàn | ||
| 男人 | lâm-jîn | /lam²³⁻³³ zin²³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /lam¹³⁻²² d͡zin¹³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
In Chinese, several terms can represent an adult male human depending on the context and desired level of formality. The term 男人 is the standard way to refer to a man. When you want to emphasize gender or use more casual speech, you might use 男的 to refer to a 'male one' or 'male person'. For more specific or descriptive contexts, you may see the term 男子汉.
What does it mean word for word?
The core component of these terms is 男, which means 'male'.
Which one should you use?
While 男人 is the common term for a man, 男子 is a more formal or written alternative. In colloquial speech, 男的 is often used as a descriptor to mean 'the male one' or 'the male person'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
男子 is used in formal or written contexts, whereas 男的 is used colloquially. If you wish to address a man respectfully as 'Sir', you can use 先生. For very informal situations, you might address a male friend as 'Bro' or 'Dude' using 老兄 or use 哥们儿 to mean 'Buddy' or 'Pal'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Dungan language uses нанжын or нанзыхан to mean 'man'. The Hokkien language uses 男人.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for 男人 is nánrén.
Did you know?
- The character 男 was originally a combination of the symbols for 'field' and 'power'. It depicted a 'man' as someone who has the strength to work in the fields.
- The term 男子汉 (a real man) is often used to praise a child's bravery or resilience, effectively telling them to 'be a man' in a way that is encouraging rather than dismissive.
- In many Chinese-speaking regions, calling someone 先生 (Sir) in a business context can actually mean 'Mr.' followed by a surname, but in certain historical contexts, it was the standard way to address a 'teacher'.
Examples in context
- 那男人是谁？Who is that man?This sentence is useful for asking about the identity of a specific 男人.Tatoeba #7773140 by jiangche, translation #67951 by CK
- 这男人很高。The man is tall.This sentence is useful for describing a physical attribute of a 男人.Tatoeba #9961508 by GlossaMatik, translation #2983752 by ToxicFriu
- 这男人是律师。The man is a lawyer.This sentence is useful for stating the profession of a 男人.Tatoeba #5650525 by verdastelo9604, translation #2348090 by Adelpa
- 您好，先生。Hello, Mister.
- 请问，先生需要帮忙吗？Excuse me, sir, do you need any help?
- 这位男士，请问您要点什么？Sir, what would you like to order?
- 嘿，老兄，今天晚上我们一起出去吃饭吧！Hey, dude, let's go out for dinner tonight!
- 我和这个哥们儿一起打篮球已经很多年了。I've been playing basketball with this buddy for many years.
- 163 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are talking about a new coworker.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那个男人是我们的新同事。nà ge nán rén shì wǒ men de xīn tóng shì.That man is our new colleague.
- 雨婷 Yuting他看起来很专业。tā kàn qǐ lái hěn zhuān yè.He looks very professional.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没错，那个男人很有经验。méi cuò, nà ge nán rén hěn yǒu jīng yàn.Correct, that man is very experienced.
- 雨婷 Yuting希望他能帮到我们。xī wàng tā néng bāng dào wǒ men.I hope he can help us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries 男人, 男的, 男子, 男人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
