月經 / 月经
yuèjīng
Menstruation in Chinese is expressed as 月經 / 月经, pronounced yuèjīng. Wiktionary also lists 經血 / 经血 (jīngxuè) and 經期 / 经期 (jīngqī).
Meaning: periodic discharging of the menses (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 月經 / 月经 | yuèjīng |
| 經血 / 经血 | jīngxuè |
| 經期 / 经期 | jīngqī |
The term 月經 / 月经 refers to the biological phenomenon of menstruation. In natural conversation, people often use the verb phrase 來月經 / 来月经 (lái yuèjīng) to say someone is 'having their period'.
Which one should you use?
The forms in Chinese distinguish between the biological event, the physical substance and the duration. 經血 / 经血 refers specifically to the physical menstrual blood. 經期 / 经期 refers to the specific time period or duration of the menstruation.
How do you pronounce it?
yuèjīng
Did you know?
- In many Chinese-speaking regions, people use the euphemism 大姨妈 / 大姨妈 (dà yímā), which literally means 'big maternal aunt', to refer to one's period.
- The character 經 in 月經 also means 'classic' or 'scripture' as in the Confucian classics, framing the cycle as a governing law of nature.
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the blood in 經血 is viewed as a mirror of overall internal balance rather than just a biological waste product.
Examples in context
- 她正在经历月经期。She is currently experiencing menstruation.
- 每位女性的月经周期长短不一。Every woman's menstrual cycle varies in length.
- 我在生理期时会感到疲倦。I feel tired during my period.
- 她每个月都会来例假。She gets her period every month.
- 她大姨妈来了，所以不舒服。She got her period, so she's not feeling well.
- 月经如常，身体如意！May your period be regular and your health be great!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “menstruation” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
