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女士 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
女士nǚshìladyHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士nǚshìmadamHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士nǚshì>个[gè],位[wèi]HSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士nǚshìMissHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士nǚshìMsHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士shìladyHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士shìmadamHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士shì>个[gè],位[wèi]HSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士shìMissHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
女士shìMsHSK 1, n, rank #337, Medium
shì(nü3shi4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1madam
  2. 2>个[gè],位[wèi]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
女士shì(nü3shi4)

女士 (nǚshì) refers to a woman of respect, often translated as 'lady' or 'madam.' It is commonly used in formal contexts, such as addressing women in business or polite conversation, and can also refer to women in a general sense. The term conveys a sense of dignity and respect.

Frequency#337DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, addressing a woman as 女士 can signify respect, particularly in professional environments. It is common to see this term used in business settings or formal events, reflecting the importance of courteous language.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'noble lady' (女士) wearing a beautiful gown that signifies elegance. The character 女 (nǚ) looks like a woman, and 士 (shì) suggests a scholar or gentleman, together evoking the image of a refined lady.

Meanings of 女士

shì(nü3shi4)
primary
1lady
2madam
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 女士

女士Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#337Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L1IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 女士

JasonAmy

Podcast: 女士

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AI Study Notes for 女士

Quick Contrast

女士 (nǚshì) vs 妇女 (fùnǚ) — use 女士 for formal or respectful contexts, while 妇女 is more general and can be neutral.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'noble lady' (女士) wearing a beautiful gown that signifies elegance. The character 女 (nǚ) looks like a woman, and 士 (shì) suggests a scholar or gentleman, together evoking the image of a refined lady.

Usage Notes

When addressing someone as 女士, it is important to be mindful of the context to maintain politeness. Common collocations include '女士们' (ladies) for addressing a group. Avoid using the term in overly casual situations, as it may come off as overly formal.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 女士 connects to other terms related to gender and respect, such as 男士 (nánshì, gentleman) and 先生 (xiānsheng, sir). Focus on practicing how to use it in formal greetings and introductions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, addressing a woman as 女士 can signify respect, particularly in professional environments. It is common to see this term used in business settings or formal events, reflecting the importance of courteous language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 女士 with the more casual term for 'woman' (女人, nǚrén). For example, saying '你好，女人' (Hello, woman) is inappropriate; instead, use '你好，女士' (Hello, lady) for respectful address.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 女士

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Component Characters

女nǚfemale
HSK 13 strokes女
View full entry
士shìmember of the senior ministerial class (old)
3 strokes士
View full entry

Write 女士

女
士

Practice writing 女士 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 女士

女士 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你在等一位____——我也这么想的。

You're waiting for a woman — I thought as much.

Example Sentences for 女士 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你在等一位女士——我也这么想的。

nǐ zài děng yī wèi nǚ shì—— —— wǒ yě zhè mó xiǎng。

You're waiting for a woman — I thought as much.
2
公爵为海伦女士和她的成就感到自豪，这很容易理解。

gōng jué wéi hǎi lún nǚ shì hé tā de chéng jiù gǎn dào zì háo， ， zhè hěn róng yì lǐ。

The duke is understandably proud of Lady Helen and her achievements.
3
利斯特死了，还有三个迈阿密毒贩和一位女士也死了。

lì sī tè sǐ le， ， huán yǒu sān gè mài ā mì dú fàn hé yī wèi nǚ shì yě sǐ。

Lister's dead. Ditto three Miami drug dealers and a lady.
4
诺娃女士拥有一副美妙动听的好嗓音，对此她深以为豪。

nuò wá nǚ shì yōng yǒu yī fù měi miào dòng tīng de hǎo sǎng yīn， ， duì cǐ tā shēn yǐ wéi。

Ms Nova is the proud possessor of a truly incredible voice.
5
莎伦是一位了不起的女士，我知道人们会非常想念她的。

suō lún shì yī wèi le bù qǐ de nǚ shì， ， wǒ zhī dào rén mén huì fēi cháng xiǎng niàn tā。

Sharon was a wonderful lady and I know she'll be greatly missed.
6
谢纳托罗娃女士对市场经济学有一种天生的敏感。

xiè nà tuō luó wá nǚ shì duì shì cháng jīng jì xué yǒu yī zhǒng tiān shēng de mǐn gǎn。

Ms Senatorova showed an instinctive feel for market economics.
7
离这位女士远点，你这醉鬼。

lí zhè wèi nǚ shì yuǎn diǎn， ， nǐ zhè zuì。

Leave the lady alone, you drunken oaf.
8
海史密斯女士已经在瑞士安了家。

hǎi shǐ mì sī nǚ shì yǐ jīng zài ruì shì ān le jiā。

Ms Highsmith has made Switzerland her home.
9
对不起，女士们，先生们，我们还是不要再讨论这个了。

duì bù qǐ， ， nǚ shì， mén ， xiān， shēng mén ， wǒ mén huán shì bù yào zài tǎo lùn。

If you'll excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, we'd better leave it there.
10
女士们，先生们，请为弗雷德·德斯特来点掌声。

nǚ shì mén， ， xiān shēng， mén ， qǐng wéi fú· léi dé · dé sī tè lái。

Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for Fred Durst.

Cultural Notes for 女士

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, addressing a woman as 女士 can signify respect, particularly in professional environments. It is common to see this term used in business settings or formal events, reflecting the importance of courteous language.

Frequently Asked Questions about 女士

While you can use 女士 for most women, it's best reserved for formal situations or when you want to show respect.