鞋子
xiézi
The Chinese phrase for shoes is 鞋子 (xiézi).
The term refers to coverings worn on the feet to protect them while walking.
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of the character 鞋 (xié), which means shoe and the suffix 子 (zi), a common noun suffix that does not change the core meaning.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Hokkien dialect, the term 鞋仔 (héjái) is used to refer to shoes.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting shoes, use the measure word 双 (shuāng) to indicate a pair. Because shoes are typically counted in pairs, the plural 'these shoes' is often expressed using this measure word, as in 这双鞋子 (zhè shuāng xiézi).
How do you pronounce it?
xiézi
Did you know?
- Chinese culture has a specific history of 'lotus shoes' designed for foot binding, which were drastically smaller than the wearer's actual foot size.
- In traditional Chinese culture, wearing shoes inside a home is considered very impolite because shoes are seen as 'dirty' and bring external impurities into the living space.
- The character 鞋 (xié) contains the radical 革 (gé), which means 'leather', reflecting the material used for the earliest shoes in China.
Examples in context
- 這些叫鞋子。These are called shoes.The first example is useful for identifying the name of the object using 鞋子.Tatoeba #1506606 by egg0073, translation #1506136 by CM
- 这双鞋子太小了。These shoes are too small.The second example shows how to describe the size of a pair of shoes using 鞋子.Tatoeba #413054 by GlossaMatik, translation #413050 by CM
- 我有一双红鞋子。I have a pair of red shoes.The third example demonstrates how to state possession of a pair of shoes using 鞋子.Tatoeba #2672965 by sadhen, translation #2672963 by CM
- 我需要一双新鞋子。I need a pair of new shoes.
- 你的鞋很漂亮！Your shoes are beautiful!
- 我喜欢你的新鞋子！I like your new shoes!
- 这双鞋儿好舒服！These shoes are so comfortable!
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rain Ting and Jun Jie are at a shopping mall.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，你看这双鞋子怎么样？Jùnjié, nǐ kàn zhè shuāng xiézi zěnmeyàng?Jun Jie, what do you think of these shoes?
- 俊杰 Junjie我觉得那双鞋子很漂亮。Wǒ juéde nà shuāng xiézi hěn piàoliang.I think those shoes are very beautiful.
- 雨婷 Yuting可是这双鞋子有点贵。Kěshì zhè shuāng xiézi yǒudiǎn guì.But these shoes are a bit expensive.
- 俊杰 Junjie你可以试穿一下。Nǐ kěyǐ shì chuān yīxià.You can try them on.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
