n.
boy; male student
boy; male student
A boy, schoolboy, or young male peer. In schools and universities, it cleanly divides the student body from 女生.
的 makes it sound like student of the male one; Chinese stacks 男 directly before 学生 or uses the fixed noun 男生.
No. Say 男生 or 男学生, never 男的学生 for a male student.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday male student | 男生 | 男的学生 |
| Formal male student | 男学生 | 男的学生 |
| Gender plus noun | 男老师 / 女医生 | 男的老师 / 女的医生 |
Use 男生和女生 for boys, young people, or students. Use 男人和女人 for adults.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| School context | 男生和女生 | 男人和女人 |
| Adult social setting | 男人和女人 | 男生和女生 (usually joking) |
| Age | 男生 = boy or young male | 男人 = adult man |
No. In daily talk, 男生 often just means boy or young guy.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| School context | 男生 = male student | 男生 = only little boy |
| Dating talk | 那个男生挺帅的 | 那个男学生挺帅的 (sounds campus-only) |
| Age | 男生 = young male | 男人 = adult man |
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
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!
女士和男士, 男生 和女生,先生和学生。
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