About
The character "媳" is structured with the radical "女", denoting female, and the component "息", which carries connotations of breath or cessation, forming a logograph that originally specified the role of a daughter-in-law within traditional Chinese kinship networks. Etymologically, this combination likely referenced the incorporation of a woman into her husband's family line, with "息" possibly implying continuity or a settled presence. Its semantic scope gradually broadened over centuries, particularly in vernacular usage, to encompass the general meaning of "wife", as illustrated by the compound "媳妇", a term that ambiguously refers to either one's own wife or a daughter-in-law depending on regional and contextual factors. This evolution in meaning, from a narrowly defined familial position to a more universal spousal designation, occurred without alteration to the character's graphical composition, highlighting a cultural shift in application rather than form.
Example Sentences Hide
我的媳妇很好。
她是个好媳妇。
媳妇照顾全家。
我的媳妇来自北京。
婆婆和媳妇关系很好。
她媳妇在银行工作。
这位媳妇非常孝顺公婆。
媳妇的辛勤付出让家庭和睦。