女朋友
nǚ péngyou
Girlfriend
女朋友 (nǚ péngyou) is the standard and most common way to say "girlfriend" in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to a female romantic partner.
What does 女朋友 (nǚ péngyou) mean?
女朋友 (nǚ péngyou) means “girlfriend” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “female friend.”
When to use it
Neutral. It's appropriate in most social situations. For a more serious, long-term partner, especially one you might marry, people sometimes use 对象 (duìxiàng), which means "partner" or "fiancé(e)". To specify a non-romantic female friend, you can say 女性朋友 (nǚxìng péngyou).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "nyoo PEHNG-yoh." The "nǚ" is a dipping third tone, "péng" is a rising second tone, and "you" is a light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 对象duìxiàngpartner / fiancé(e) (often implies a more serious relationship)
- 老公/老婆lǎogōng / lǎopólover / spouse (a bit older-fashioned, can refer to husband/wife)
- 女性朋友nǚxìng péngyoufemale friend (non-romantic)
Examples
这是我的女朋友。
Zhè shì wǒ de nǚ péngyou.
This is my girlfriend.
他有一个很可爱的女朋友。
Tā yǒu yí ge hěn kě'ài de nǚ péngyou.
He has a very cute girlfriend.
你有没有女朋友？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu nǚ péngyou?
Do you have a girlfriend?
Pro tip: Remember that 女朋友 specifically means a romantic girlfriend. If you just mean a friend who happens to be female, use 女性朋友 (nǚxìng péngyou) to avoid misunderstanding.
Related phrases
我的女朋友 · My girlfriend亲爱的 · My love我爱你 · I love you
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