囝
jiǎn/t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/
The English phrase 'son' is expressed in Chinese through several different forms depending on the specific language variety or dialect used. If unsure, use 囝 (jiǎn). Wiktionary also lists 兒子 / 儿子 (érzi, érzǐ).
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 囝 | jiǎn | /t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | |
| 兒子 / 儿子 | érzi, érzǐ | ||
| 囝 | kiáⁿ | /kiã³¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Tong'an, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Kinmen, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Hsinchu, Magong, Yongchun) /kiã⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Tong'an, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Kinmen, Singapore, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Hsinchu, Magong, Yongchun) |
Hokkien |
| 後生 / 后生 | hāu-seⁿ, hāu-siⁿ | Hokkien | |
| 後的 / 后的 | hāu-ê | Hokkien |
The term refers to a male person in relation to his parents. In religious contexts, related forms like 子 or 聖子 / 圣子 can be used to refer to one of the three persons of the Trinity.
Which one should you use?
The form 兒子 / 儿子 (érzi) is the standard Mandarin term for 'son', whereas the default form 囝 is specific to Hokkien/Min Nan dialects.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form 囝 is a common way to say 'son' or 'child' in Hokkien-speaking regions such as Taiwan and parts of Fujian. The form эрзы is the specific way to say 'son' in the Dungan language (a variety of Chinese spoken by Muslims in Central Asia).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kiáⁿ (/tɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/)
Did you know?
- The Hokkien word for 'son' 囝 is not originally from Chinese. It is a borrowing from the Mon-Khmer language family and is a cognate of the Vietnamese word 'con' and Khmer word 'koun'.
- In the Dungan language, a variety of Chinese spoken by Muslims in Central Asia, the word for 'son' is written using the Cyrillic alphabet as эрзы.
- While 'son' is a specific gender in English, some dialectal forms like 囝 can function as a gender-neutral term meaning 'child'.
Examples in context
- 伊的囝真乖。i ê kián tsin kuai.Her son is very well-behaved.
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Zhiqiang are looking at a childhood photograph.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen這是你的囝嗎？Tse sī lí ê kián–má?Is this your son?
- 志强 Zhiqiang對，他是我的囝。Tùi, tā sī góa ê kián.Yes, he is my son.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen他長得像你。Tā tiáng-tit chhiàng lí.He looks like you.
- 志强 Zhiqiang很多人這麼說。Chin-tsuē lâng án-né kóng.Many people say that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries 囝, 囝, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 囝, CC BY-SA 4.0.
