女士
nǚshì/ny²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɻ̩⁵¹/
In Chinese, the English phrase 'ms.' is translated as 女士 (nǚshì).
女士 is a title used before the surname of a woman regardless of her marital status, functioning as the equivalent of 'Madam' or 'Ms.'
Which one should you use?
While the traditional way to say 'Miss' is 小姐, 女士 is the preferred neutral equivalent to the English 'Ms.' and is safer in professional settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, where 'Ms.' is a standalone title, in Chinese, 女士 is almost always preceded by the person's surname, such as in 王女士 (Ms. Wang).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is nǚshì.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be cautious when using 小姐 in mainland China, as it can be used as slang for a sex worker in certain contexts. 女士 is a much safer choice for 'Ms.' or 'Madam'.
Did you know?
- The term 女士 appears in the Shijing, one of the oldest existing collections of Chinese poetry.
- In many professional Chinese settings, using the person's job title instead of 女士 is often more common and respected. For example, calling someone 'Manager Wang' is frequently preferred over 'Ms. Wang'.
- The term 女士 can feel slightly distant or formal, making it more suitable for written letters than for casual spoken conversation.
Examples in context
- 王女士，请进。Wáng nǚshì, qǐng jìn.Ms. Wang, please come in.
- 这位是李女士。Zhè wèi shì Lǐ nǚshì.This is Ms. Li.
- 陈女士在等您。Chén nǚshì zài děng nín.Ms. Chen is waiting for you.
Example conversation
Haoran is introducing a client to Xiaowen in an office.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，这位是赵女士。Xiǎowén, zhè wèi shì Zhào nǚshì.Xiaowen, this is Ms. Zhao.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen赵女士，您好！Zhào nǚshì, nín hǎo!Hello, Ms. Zhao!
- 浩然 Haoran她是我们的新客户。Tā shì wǒmen de xīn kèhù.She is our new client.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen欢迎您光临。Huānyíng nín guānglín.Welcome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 女士, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 女士, CC BY-SA 4.0.
