淑女

shūnǚ
noun #8,482

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 lady; gentlewoman
  2. 2 a refined and virtuous woman

Examples

HSK 2
Māma xīwàng tā zuò yígè shūnǚ.
Her mom hopes she will be a proper lady.
HSK 4
Tā shì yígè zhēnzhèng de shūnǚ.
She is a true lady.
HSK 7-9
Tā píngshí dàdaliēliē de, yìdiǎn yě bú xiàng shūnǚ.
She's usually so carefree, not ladylike at all.

Tips

history
淑女 originates from the Book of Songs (诗经): 「窈窕淑女君子好逑」 - 'A fair and virtuous lady is a gentleman's good match.' This is one of the most quoted lines in Chinese literature.
usage
淑女 implies grace, refinement, and good manners. The male counterpart is 绅士 (gentleman). In modern usage it can be slightly ironic when contrasting someone's actual behavior.

Stroke Order

shū