儿 (ér) - child, son & diminutive suffix used in colloquial speech
儿 · ér
child, son;
diminutive suffix used in colloquial speech
child, sondiminutive suffix used in colloquial speech
Usage highlights
childsondaughterbabyplaylittle brother
Usage & contexts
Examples
- The child is playing (孩子在玩儿).
- This is my son (这是我儿子).
- He is a Beijing native (他是北京人儿).
Collocations
- child(儿童)
- son(儿子)
- daughter(女儿)
- baby(婴儿)
- play(玩儿)
- little brother(弟弟儿)
Idioms
- A newborn calf fears no tiger(初生牛犊不怕虎)
- To act like a child(儿女情长)
- To have both sons and daughters(儿女双全)
Cultural background
FAQ- Originally depicted a child with an open fontanelle, evolving to mean 'child' or 'son'.
- Used as a diminutive suffix in northern Chinese dialects, especially in Beijing Mandarin, to add a colloquial or affectionate tone.