孥
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: child
💡 A child (子) under a roof (宀 variant in 孥): the family's precious burden.
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
孥 (nú) means 'child' or 'offspring,' but it carries a legal and familial weight beyond mere youth. In ancient China, it referred to a wife and children—especially in the context of punishment by enslavement, where the entire 孥 (family) could be implicated. This character thus encapsulates the Confucian view of family as an indivisible unit, where bonds of blood entail shared fate and responsibility. Today, it is rare in daily use but appears in classical texts and formal references to lineage, reminding us of the deep interdependence embedded in Chinese kinship.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →
0