公主
gōngzhǔ
The English word 'princess' is translated into Chinese as 公主 (gōngzhǔ). Wiktionary also lists 王妃 (wángfēi).
Meaning: female member of royal family (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 公主 | gōngzhǔ |
| 王妃 | wángfēi |
公主 refers to a female member of a royal family. In modern Chinese, the term is often used metaphorically to describe a girl who is pampered or treated with excessive care.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 公主 is composed of 公, meaning palace or public and 主, meaning lord or master.
Which one should you use?
公主 refers to a princess by birth or rank. In contrast, 王妃 refers to a princess by marriage, such as a consort or princess consort.
How do you pronounce it?
gōngzhǔ
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, the term 公主病 'princess disease' describes a personality disorder where a woman behaves as if she is royalty and expects others to cater to her every whim.
- While 公主 is a birthright, some historical Chinese princesses were 'married' to foreign leaders as political tools, effectively becoming diplomats rather than just royal spouses.
- Depending on the dynasty, a 公主 might have been given a title based on a specific territory, making her a regional governor in all but name.
Examples in context
- 一等奖是公主的香吻。The grand prize is a kiss from the princess.This sentence shows how to use 公主 in the context of a prize.Tatoeba #2027950 by ydcok, translation #2038382 by JarHead54321
- 公主向皇帝请求饶恕。The princess begged forgiveness from the emperor.This sentence demonstrates a princess interacting with an emperor using 公主.Tatoeba #8899483 by crescat, translation #327977 by CK
- 你妹妹看上去那么高贵，就像是个公主一样。Your sister looks as noble as if she were a princess.This sentence uses 公主 as a metaphor for someone appearing noble.Tatoeba #4267305 by notabene, translation #17409 by francaisr0wlet
- Gōngzhǔ, nǐ zhēn piàoliang (公主，你真漂亮)Princess, you are so beautiful.
- Gōngzhǔ, nǐ xiǎng qù nǎ'er (公主，你想去哪儿)Princess, where would you like to go?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical drama they watched.
- 雨婷 Yuting那个公主很漂亮。Nàge gōngzhǔ hěn piàoliang.That princess is very beautiful.
- 俊杰 Junjie她是这部剧的主角。Tā shì zhè bù jù de zhǔjué.She is the protagonist of this drama.
- 雨婷 Yuting她的演技也很好。Tā de yǎnjì yě hěn hǎo.Her acting is also very good.
- 俊杰 Junjie是的，雨婷，我也这么觉得。Shì de, Yǔtíng, wǒ yě zhème juéde.Yes, Yuting, I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “princess” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
