我儿子
wǒ érzi
In Chinese, "my son" is expressed as 我儿子 (wǒ érzi).
This phrase is used by a parent to refer to their male child.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (my/I) and 儿子 (son).
Which one should you use?
While 我儿子 is the standard way to say "my son," you may also see the phrase 我的儿子. Adding the particle 的 is also grammatically correct but can feel slightly more formal or emphatic.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the equivalent of "my son" is 我個仔.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the possessive particle 的 is often omitted in the phrase 我儿子 when expressing close personal relationships.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ érzi
Did you know?
- In some traditional contexts, a parent might use the term 犬子 (qūnzǐ), meaning 'dog son', when referring to their own son to others.
- The character 子 (zǐ) in 儿子 originally depicted a baby in swaddling clothes in ancient oracle bone script.
- The term 儿子 (son) can sometimes be used as a humorous or condescending way to refer to a younger male who is behaving foolishly, even if there is no biological relation.
Examples in context
- 我儿子在刷牙。My son is brushing his teeth.This sentence shows the phrase 我儿子 used to describe an action.Tatoeba #5670744 by verdastelo9604, translation #3634645 by thegui
- 我儿子十岁了。My son is ten years old.This sentence uses 我儿子 to state an age.Tatoeba #10029668 by GlossaMatik, translation #935930 by riccioberto
- 我儿子不听我话。My son doesn't obey me.This sentence uses 我儿子 to describe a behavior.Tatoeba #4764610 by ryanwoo, translation #4759178 by cairnhead
- 我的儿子是个聪明的孩子。My son is an intelligent child.
- 我的儿子是我的骄傲。My son is my pride.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two neighbors are talking about their children at a park.
- 梓涵 Zihan你儿子多大了？Nǐ érzi duō dà le?How old is your son?
- 浩然 Haoran我儿子五岁了。Wǒ érzi wǔ suì le.My son is five years old.
- 梓涵 Zihan他看起来很可爱。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn kě'ài.He looks very cute.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢，他很调皮。Xièxiè, tā hěn tiáopí.Thank you, he is very mischievous.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
