Definitions

niáng (noun) mother
niáng (noun) young lady

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "娘" is structurally composed of the radical "女", indicating its association with women, and the component "良", which initially provided phonetic value while also implying positive attributes such as goodness or virtue. In early Chinese texts, this character was used to refer specifically to a young woman or maiden, often with an emphasis on her admirable qualities. Over time, its semantic scope broadened considerably, coming to denote a mother or maternal figure in everyday speech, a meaning that eventually coexisted with its original sense. This expansion is evident in its continued use within terms like "姑娘", where it points to a young female, demonstrating how the character's application shifted and diversified to encompass both youth and maternity within the conceptual domain of womanhood.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

很爱我。

Wǒ niáng hěn ài wǒ.

My mother loves me very much.

那个姑很漂亮。

Nàge gūniang hěn piàoliang.

That girl is very pretty.

我的爹都在北京。

Wǒ de diē niáng dōu zài Běijīng.

My parents are both in Beijing.

亲来了。

Tā niángqīn lái le.

Her mother has come.

每天早起做早餐。

Wǒ niáng měitiān zǎo qǐ zuò zǎocān.

My mother gets up early every day to make breakfast.

这位姑的歌声很动听。

Zhè wèi gūniang de gēshēng hěn dòngtīng.

This girl's singing voice is very pleasant.

告诉我做人要诚实。

Wǒ niáng gàosù wǒ zuòrén yào chéngshí.

My mother told me to be honest in life.

那位姑在舞台上表演得非常出色。

Nà wèi gūniang zài wǔtái shàng biǎoyǎn dé fēichūsè.

That girl performed exceptionally well on stage.