n.
child; kid
小朋友
child; kid
Literally 'little friend' (小 little + 朋友 friend). An affectionate, polite way adults refer to children in public or school.
Common Usage & Traps
- 小朋友，你好 — Hello, little one (to a child)
- 一个小朋友 — a child
- 小朋友们，早上好 — Good morning, kids (to a group)
- 这个小朋友 — this child
- 小朋友都来了 — The kids have all arrived
- 小朋友，你几岁？ — How old are you, kiddo?
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小朋友，您贵姓？先生/女士，您贵姓？小朋友 is for young children; pairing it with 您 to an adult sounds mocking, not polite.
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一个小朋友们一个小朋友 or 小朋友们们 already makes it plural, so it clashes with 一个.
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他是我的小朋友他是我的好朋友，个子不高小朋友 means a child, not any friend who happens to be short.
Can you call an adult 小朋友?
No. 小朋友 is for young children; using it on an adult usually sounds condescending.
小朋友 means a young child, not any friend who is small. Teachers and adults use it to address kids warmly. Call an adult 先生 or 女士 instead. A close partner might use it playfully, but strangers and coworkers will hear it as patronizing.
“小朋友，我问问你，这个小朋友，他是谁？” (Hey kiddo, let me ask you — who is this little one?)
“小朋友，我问问你，这个小朋友，他是谁？” (Hey kiddo, let me ask you — who is this little one?)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Who you address | 小朋友，你叫什么名字？ (to a young child) | 小朋友，您贵姓？ (to an adult client) |
| Meaning | A young child | A short adult friend |
| Tone with adults | 先生/女士，您好 | 小朋友，您好 |
Do you need 们 when talking to more than one kid?
Use 小朋友们 for a group you're addressing; drop 们 when speaking about kids in general.
小朋友们 is the normal way to greet or instruct a group of kids. 小朋友 without 们 can still mean children in general. Never say 一个小朋友们; 一个小朋友 means one child. Context does most of the work.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One kid | 一个小朋友 | 一个小朋友们 |
| A group you speak to | 小朋友们，早上好 | 小朋友，早上好 (to the whole group) |
| Kids in general | 小朋友都喜欢玩 | 小朋友们 (no clear group) |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this warm dialogue, a parent introduces their family at a restaurant. A teacher gently corrects common mistakes about family words and names, making it perfect for HSK 2 learners.
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B：左边那两个 小朋友 是你的孩子？
This playful rhyme helps you learn family words in Chinese. Practice saying who's who with simple questions and answers!
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小朋友 ，我问问你，这个 小朋友 ，他是谁？
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这个 小朋友 是我哥。
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