女士

女士 (nǚ shì) is the standard Chinese term for 'Mrs.' or 'Ms.' in English. It is used to address or refer to an adult woman, often in formal or polite contexts.

The character 女 (nǚ) means 'woman' and 士 (shì) originally meant 'gentleman' or 'scholar,' but in this context, it functions as a title of respect. Together, 女士 literally translates to 'female gentleman,' which is a respectful way to address a woman.

女士 is commonly used in formal writing, service industries, and public settings. It is more formal than 姑娘 (gūniáng), which means 'girl' or 'young woman.' In everyday speech, it is often used with a person's name or as a general form of address.