鼻子
bízi/pi³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/
In Mandarin, the word for nose is 鼻子 (bízi). Wiktionary also lists 鼻 (bí).
Meaning: protuberance on the face (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鼻子 | bízi | /pi³⁵ d͡z̥ɹ̩³/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pi²¹ t͡sɹ̩⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 鼻 | bí | /pi³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /pi²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 鼻仔 | phīⁿ-á | /pʰĩ³³ a⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Singapore, Sinological IPA) /pʰĩ³³ a⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Singapore, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
The term refers to the protuberance on the face.
Which one should you use?
The two-syllable form 鼻子 is the standard way to refer to the nose in spoken Mandarin. The single syllable 鼻 is generally reserved for formal anatomical terms or as part of compound words. Additionally, the colloquial form biɑ̌r (鼻儿) is used in informal speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form бизы (bizɨ) is used in Dungan, while 鼻仔 (phīⁿ-á) is used in Hokkien.
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard two-syllable form 鼻子 is the most frequent way to name the nose in spoken language. The single syllable 鼻 is typically not used in isolation during casual conversation, but instead appears within compound words.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bízi. The IPA is /pi³⁵ dz̥ɹ̩³/.
Did you know?
- The character 自, which now means 'self', was originally a pictograph for 'nose'.
- In Chinese culture, the nose is often used as a metaphor for 'self' or 'ego' because of the ancient character 自.
- The term 鼻子 can be used in idioms to describe someone who is 'stuck up' or arrogant, similar to the English 'turning up one's nose'.
Examples in context
- 男孩流鼻血。The boy's nose was bleeding.This sentence shows how to use 鼻 to describe a boy with a bleeding nose.Tatoeba #4455710 by egg0073, translation #10663767 by transfusion
- 她在流鼻血。Her nose is bleeding.This sentence shows how to use 鼻 to describe a woman with a bleeding nose.Tatoeba #8655346 by slo_oth, translation #950190 by CM
- 您流鼻血了。Your nose is bleeding.This sentence shows how to use 鼻 to tell someone their nose is bleeding.Tatoeba #10696098 by GlossaMatik, translation #68973 by CK
- Nǐ de biɑ̌r tài hóng le! (你的鼻儿太红了！)Your nose is too red!
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a doctor's clinic.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你的鼻子看起来有点红。Nǐ de bízi kàn qǐlái yǒudiǎn hóng.Your nose looks a bit red.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen可能是感冒引起的。Kěnéng shì gǎnmào yǐnqǐ de.It might be caused by a cold.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你的鼻子堵塞了吗？Nǐ de bízi dǔsè le ma?Is your nose congested?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，感觉很不舒服。Shì de, gǎnjué hěn bù shūfu.Yes, I feel very uncomfortable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nose” translations and entries 鼻子, 鼻, 鼻仔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鼻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
