男

nán

力 + 田

HSK 2.0Level 2

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

nán (noun,adjective) male

nán (noun) baron (ancient title of nobility)

Etymology

Traditionally males (男) were the people who plowed (力) the fields (田).

About

The character 男 is an ideogrammic compound composed of two distinct semantic parts: 田, a cultivated field, at the top, and 力, physical strength, directly underneath. This arrangement reflects the historical agricultural division of labor, with men using their strength to work the land. Over time, the character shifted from denoting a field laborer to becoming the generic noun and adjective for a male person or masculine gender, losing its original agricultural exclusivity.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

那个男孩在跑步。

Nàge nánhái zài pǎobù.

That boy is running.

这个男人是我的父亲。

Zhège nánrén shì wǒ de fùqin.

This man is my father.

男学生和女学生都在教室里。

Nán xuéshēng hé nǚ xuéshēng dōu zài jiàoshì lǐ.

Both the male and female students are in the classroom.

男孩们正在公园里踢足球。

Nánháimen zhèngzài gōngyuán lǐ tī zúqiú.

The boys are playing soccer in the park.

这位男医生非常负责任。

Zhè wèi nán yīshēng fēicháng fù zérèn.

This male doctor is very responsible.

男女平等是现代社会的普遍原则。

Nánnǚ píngděng shì xiàndài shèhuì de pǔbiàn yuánzé.

Gender equality is a universal principle of modern society.

选拔队员时，不应有性别歧视，男女均可报名。

Xuǎnbá duìyuán shí, bù yìng yǒu xìngbié qíshì, nánnǚ jūn kě bàomíng.

When selecting team members, there should be no gender discrimination; both men and women can sign up.

在许多文化中，传统的男主外女主内的观念正在逐渐改变。

Zài xǔduō wénhuà zhōng, chuántǒng de nán zhǔ wài nǚ zhǔ nèi de guānniàn zhèngzài zhújiàn gǎibiàn.

In many cultures, the traditional notion of men being responsible for outside work and women for domestic affairs is gradually changing.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 力

Component: 田

Example Words