n.
lady; madam; Ms.
女士
Common Usage & Traps
- 女士们，先生们 — Ladies and gentlemen
- 王女士 — Ms. Wang
- 一位女士 — a lady (polite)
- 女士和男士 — ladies and gentlemen (formal pair)
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一个女士一位女士In polite contexts, 位 sounds respectful; 个 sounds flat or clinical.
Is it safe to call a female stranger 小姐 in mainland China?
No: in many mainland contexts 小姐 can sound shady; 女士 is the safe formal choice.
小姐 used to mean Miss, but in much of mainland China it now carries sex-worker vibes. 女士 is neutral, respectful, and works for any adult woman in public. In Taiwan or some service settings, 小姐 may still be normal, so read the room.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Addressing a female stranger in mainland | 女士 | 小姐 |
| Formal meeting or workplace | 王女士 | 王小姐 (often risky in mainland) |
| Taiwan or some southern service settings | 小姐 can be fine | assuming it is fine everywhere in mainland |
Can I say 一个女士 instead of 一位女士?
Yes, but 一个女士 sounds flat; 一位女士 is the polite pairing.
位 is the polite counter for people, so it pairs naturally with 女士. 个 is not grammatically broken, but it can sound like a police report. In formal writing, service, or speeches, use 一位女士 or 这位女士 instead.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Formal or polite context | 一位女士 | 一个女士 |
| Casual story about a stranger | 一个女士 | 一位女士 can sound stiff |
| Direct respectful address | 这位女士 | 这个女士 |
Why does the story pair 女士 with 男士?
女士 and 男士 are the polite public pair; 女人 and 男人 are plain everyday words.
女士/男士 belong in speeches, signs, formal introductions, and respectful address. 女人/男人 are normal in casual chat, but in a formal public line they can sound blunt. The story is building polite paired vocabulary, so it chooses 女士 and 男士. “女士和男士， 男生和女生， 先生和学生。” (Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Mr. and student.) ── [《医生问问题》](/read/doctor-asks-questions#s1)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Public speech or formal sign | 女士和男士 | 女人和男人 |
| Casual chat with friends | 女人和男人 | 女士和男士 (can sound stiff) |
| Respectful address to a woman | 女士 | 女人 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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先生、 女士 也说“您”。
Before you read: this is a short rhyming poem. You will meet a doctor who asks about seeing and hearing. Try to spot words you already know!
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女士 和男士，男生和女生，先生和学生。
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