老姑娘

lǎogūniang

noun #29,256

Meanings

1 old maid; spinster; unmarried older woman
2 woman who remains single past the conventional marriage age

Characters

woman; mother; girl

Examples

HSK 4

村里人背后叫她老姑娘，她不在乎。

Cūnlǐrén bèihòu jiào tā lǎogūniang, tā bùzàihu.

People in the village called her an old maid behind her back, but she didn't care.

HSK 7-9

现代社会里，独身的女性不该被叫作老姑娘。

Xiàndài shèhuì lǐ, dúshēn de nǚxìng bù gāi bèi jiàozuò lǎogūniang.

In modern society, single women should not be called spinsters.

Tips

register

老姑娘 is a colloquial and often derogatory term for an unmarried older woman. It reflects traditional social pressure to marry young. Modern speakers generally avoid it as disrespectful; 单身女性 is the neutral alternative.

Stroke Order

老 lǎo

姑 gū

娘 niáng