noun HSK 4
Traditional 嬰兒
infant · baby
Meaning
婴儿 refers to a very young child, typically from birth up to about one year of age. It's the formal and most common term in Mandarin for 'baby' or 'infant,' used in both everyday conversation and medical or official contexts.
Usage
This is the standard neutral term for babies in Chinese. In casual conversation, people might also use 宝宝 (bǎo bao) as a more affectionate term, but 婴儿 is appropriate in all contexts, including medical settings, legal documents, and public signage. It's commonly seen on products, facilities, and services designed for infants.
Examples
- 01她刚生了一个健康的婴儿。.She just gave birth to a healthy baby.
- 02这家餐厅有婴儿换尿布的地方。.This restaurant has a place for changing baby diapers.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个婴儿
- 名两名婴儿
Common collocations
- 婴儿车baby stroller
- 婴儿床baby crib
- 婴儿奶粉infant formula
- 照顾婴儿to take care of a baby
Antonyms
Origin
The character 婴 originally depicted a baby wrapped in cloth or being held, while 儿 means child. Together they emphasize the very young stage of human development.