How do you say "widow" in Chinese?

寡妇

guǎ fù

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "widow" is 寡妇 (guǎ fù).

Listen to the pronunciation:

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Pronunciation

Say "guǎ fù" — "guǎ" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "fù" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4).

Writing and usage

寡妇 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

寡妇为他种下了一座花园以示纪念。

guǎ fù wèi tā zhòng xià le yī zuò huā yuán yǐ shì jì niàn 。

The widow planted a garden in his memory.

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How to remember 寡妇

Say "guǎ fù" out loud three times fast — the repetition alone tends to cement "寡妇" (guǎ fù) in memory.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 寡妇

How do you pronounce 寡妇?

Say "guǎ fù" — "guǎ" is dipping down and curling back up (tone 3), then "fù" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4).

Is 寡妇 formal or casual?

寡妇 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 寡妇 used in Chinese?

寡妇 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 寡妇为他种下了一座花园以示纪念。 (The widow planted a garden in his memory.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Widow" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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