About
Originating from the traditional character "兒" that depicted an infant with a visible fontanelle, the graph "儿" has evolved both in form and application. The original composition of "兒" integrated visual elements representing a child's head and lower body, but through gradual orthographic streamlining, the simplified form "儿" emerged, retaining only the skeletal structure of the legs. Semantically, the character first conveyed the concrete notion of a young child or son, yet its meaning gradually broadened to encompass offspring in general. In contemporary language, it frequently operates as a nominal suffix in colloquial speech, altering word forms and sounds, which demonstrates a significant shift from its initial literal representation to a more functional grammatical role.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的儿子五岁。
她有一个女儿。
这儿很漂亮。
儿童喜欢玩具。
小明在公园玩儿。
那个小男孩儿很聪明。
花儿在春天开放。
儿子和女儿都去上学了。