Meanings of 娌
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About 娌
Podcast: 娌
Podcast: 娌
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AI Study Notes for 娌
When using 娌, remember that it is quite specific to familial relationships, so avoid using it in casual contexts unrelated to family. It often appears in discussions about family dynamics or in formal contexts when discussing relatives. Be mindful of the tone; the third tone can sometimes be pronounced incorrectly, leading to misunderstandings.
While 娌 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful for students aiming for higher levels of fluency in family-related topics. Students should focus on learning related terms like 妯娌 and other family vocabulary to build a richer understanding of familial relationships.
Learners often confuse 娌 with other family terms; for instance, using it to refer to a sister instead of a sister-in-law. Ensure you remember that 娌 specifically pertains to a brother's wife.
Pronunciation of 娌
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Etymology of 娌
woman
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 娌
- 1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half里 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywoman
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 娌? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 娌
Identify the Components
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How to say brother's wife in Chinese
“brother's wife” in Chinese is娌
The character 娌 (lǐ) refers to a brother's wife, typically used in familial contexts to describe one's sister-in-law. It is often seen in combination with the character 妯 (zhóu) to form 妯娌 (zhóu lǐ), which collectively refers to sisters-in-law. This term emphasizes the familial ties and relationships within Chinese culture.
When to use 娌
When using 娌, remember that it is quite specific to familial relationships, so avoid using it in casual contexts unrelated to family. It often appears in discussions about family dynamics or in formal contexts when discussing relatives. Be mindful of the tone; the third tone can sometimes be pronounced incorrectly, leading to misunderstandings.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 娌 with other family terms; for instance, using it to refer to a sister instead of a sister-in-law. Ensure you remember that 娌 specifically pertains to a brother's wife.
Write 娌
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Practice writing 娌 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 娌
娌 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
她们俩个是 妯____.
They two are sisters - in - law .
Example Sentences for 娌 (1)
Reorder the Sentence
They two are sisters - in - law .
Word Family of 娌
Compound Meaning
What does 妯娌 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 娌
You can say '我的娌很友好' (My sister-in-law is very friendly) to describe your brother's wife.
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