子 zi child
child; noun suffix; seed; small thing
How it came to be
A baby: a big head, two arms out to the sides, and the legs still wrapped so they come down as one stroke.
How it is used
- Unstressed zi is a noun suffix with no meaning of its own - 桌子 (zhuōzi) table, 孩子 (háizi) child, 杯子 (bēizi) cup; it just turns a one-syllable root into a full noun.
- Stressed zǐ carries real meaning child / seed / small thing - 儿子 (érzi) son, 瓜子 (guāzǐ) melon seeds.
Characters built with 子
Words with 子
- 饺子jiǎozidumplingHSK 1
- 包子bāozisteamed stuffed bunHSK 1
- 孩子háizichildHSK 1
- 杯子bēizicupHSK 1
- 儿子érzisonHSK 1
- 椅子yǐzichairHSK 1
- 桌子zhuōzideskHSK 1
- 妻子qīziwifeHSK 2
- 裤子kùzipantsHSK 2
- 个子gèziheightHSK 2
- 本子běnzinotebookHSK 2
- 勺子sháozispoonHSK 3
- 裙子qúnziskirtHSK 3
- 盘子pánziplateHSK 3
- 瓶子píngzibottleHSK 3
- 句子jùzisentenceHSK 3
- 筷子kuàizichopsticksHSK 3
- 屋子wūziroomHSK 3
- 房子fángzihouseHSK 3
- 电子书diànzǐshūelectronic bookHSK 3
- 箱子xiāngzisuitcaseHSK 3
- 样子yàngzimannerHSK 4
- 小伙子xiǎohuǒziyoung manHSK 4
- 盒子héziboxHSK 4
- 肚子dùzibellyHSK 4
- 镜子jìngzimirrorHSK 4
- 孙子sūnzigrandsonHSK 4
- 袜子wàzisocksHSK 4
- 叶子yèzileavesHSK 4
- 帽子màozihatHSK 4
- 鼻子bízinoseHSK 4
- 例子lìzicaseHSK 4
- 日子rìzidayHSK 4
- 母子mǔzǐmother and childHSK 4
- 父子fùzǐfather and sonHSK 4
- 牌子páizisignHSK 4
- 袋子dàizibagHSK 4
- 院子yuànzicourtyardHSK 4
- 兔子tùzihareHSK 5
- 叉子chāziforkHSK 5
Example sentences
- 我收到一个电子邮件。 Wǒ shōu dào yīge diànzǐ yóujiàn.I received an e-mail.
- 他们在讨论这个案子。 Tāmen zài tǎolùn zhège ànzi.They are discussing the case.
- 这个村子的生活条件仍然很原始。 Zhège cūnzi de shēnghuó tiáojiàn réngrán hěn yuánshǐ.The living conditions in this village are still very primitive.
- 我把桔子分成两半。 Wǒ bǎ júzi fēnchéng liǎngbàn.I cut the orange into two halves.