孥 (nú) - Children & one's wife and children
孥 · nú
Children;
one's wife and children;
in ancient usage, slaves or servants.
Childrenone's wife and childrenin ancient usage, slaves or servants.
Usage highlights
Wife and childrenPunishing wife and childrenFleeing with childrenServants and slavesChildren and grandchildrenFamily members
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He was punished along with his wife and children (罪及妻孥).
- The family fled with their children (携孥逃亡).
- In ancient times, slaves were called 孥 (古代称奴婢为孥).
Collocations
- Wife and children(妻孥)
- Punishing wife and children(罪及妻孥)
- Fleeing with children(携孥逃亡)
- Servants and slaves(奴婢)
- Children and grandchildren(子孙)
- Family members(家属)
Idioms
- Punishment extending to wife and children(罪及妻孥)
- Fleeing with wife and children(携孥而逃)
Cultural background
FAQ- In classical Chinese, 孥 could refer to both children and slaves, reflecting the patriarchal family structure where dependents were considered property.
- The character appears in legal contexts describing collective punishment where family members shared responsibility for crimes.
- Modern usage is primarily literary and historical, rarely used in contemporary spoken language.