王子
wángzǐ
The English word 'prince' is translated into Chinese as 王子 (wángzǐ). Wiktionary also lists 皇子 (huángzǐ).
Meaning: son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 王子 | wángzǐ |
| 皇子 | huángzǐ |
The term is used to describe the son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch. It is the standard word used in modern contexts and Western-style fairy tales.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 王子 is composed of 王, meaning king and 子, meaning son or child.
Which one should you use?
While 王子 is a general term for a prince, 皇子 specifically refers to an imperial prince of an empire. Additionally, 王子 is the preferred term for modern or Western contexts, whereas 皇子 carries a more historical, East Asian imperial connotation. Another related term is 太子, which refers specifically to the heir apparent or crown prince.
How do you pronounce it?
wángzǐ
Did you know?
- While 太子 means 'crown prince', the phrase 太子党 is used in modern China to describe the children of high-ranking government officials.
- In modern pop culture and manga, the 'prince' archetype is often linked to the 王子病 or 'prince disease', describing someone who is overly narcissistic.
- The character 子 in 王子 originally depicted a baby in swaddling clothes, reflecting the biological meaning of 'child'.
Examples in context
- 一位王子骑着白马到来了。A prince arrived, riding a white horse.This sentence shows the use of 王子 to describe a prince arriving on a horse.Tatoeba #9475787 by jin1, translation #5060404 by AlanF_US
- 在北方的原始部落中，也存在著一種更野蠻的慶祝形式：他們點燃巨大的木柴，以紀念奧丁和托爾，並向祂們獻祭人和牲畜。德魯伊王子隨後用金色鐮刀從神聖的橡樹上割下槲寄生。A more barbarous form of these rejoicings took place among the rude peoples of the north where great blocks of wood blazed in honor of Odin and Thor, and sacrifices of men and cattle were made to them. Mistletoe was cut then from the sacred oaks with a golden sickle by the Prince of the Druids.This sentence uses 王子 in a historical and mythological context regarding a Druid prince.Tatoeba #13573843 by LeviHighway, translation #5681793 by Hybrid
- 王子继承了王位。The prince succeeded to the throne.This sentence demonstrates using 王子 in the context of succeeding to a throne.Tatoeba #845127 by fucongcong, translation #25624 by CK
- 他是一个有魅力的王子。He is a charming prince.
- 他是太子，将来会成为国王。He is the crown prince and will become the king in the future.
- 王爷，您找我有什么事吗？Your Highness, do you need something from me?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical movie they just watched.
- 佳怡 Jiayi电影里的那位王子很帅。Diànyǐng lǐ de nà wèi wángzǐ hěn shuài.The prince in the movie is very handsome.
- 志强 Zhiqiang是的，他真的很受欢迎。Shì de, tā zhēn de hěn shòu huānyíng.Yes, he is really popular.
- 佳怡 Jiayi但王子也是个勇敢的人。Dàn wángzǐ yěshì gè yǒnggǎn de rén.But the prince is also a brave person.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prince” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
