értóng: 儿童 - Child, Children

Keywords: ertong, 儿童, Chinese for child, children in Chinese, what does ertong mean, kids in Chinese, formal word for child, ertong vs haizi, ertóng jié, Children's Day

Summary: Discover the meaning of 儿童 (értóng), the formal Chinese word for “child” or “children.” This comprehensive guide explains its use in official, educational, and legal contexts, contrasting it with the more common, informal terms like 孩子 (háizi). Learn its cultural significance, see practical examples, and understand how to use it correctly to sound more like a native speaker.

Pinyin (with tone marks): értóng

Part of Speech: Noun

HSK Level: HSK 3

Concise Definition: A formal term for “child” or “children,” generally referring to a person before the age of puberty (up to about 12-14 years old).

In a Nutshell: Think of 儿童 (értóng) as the word you would see on a sign at a park, in a legal document, or in a book about child psychology. While “child” in English can be both formal and casual, 儿童 is almost exclusively used in formal, written, or official contexts. In everyday conversation, people are much more likely to use 孩子 (háizi).

儿 (ér): This character originally depicted a baby, with the top part representing an infant's skull before it has fully fused. Its primary meaning is “child” or “son.” It's also famously used as a grammatical suffix (儿化, érhuà) in northern dialects, which adds a retroflex “-r” sound to the end of a word.

童 (tóng): This character also means “child” or “young.” It can be broken down into parts that suggest a person working or standing (立) in a village (里), historically perhaps a young servant. The core idea is that of a juvenile or someone not yet an adult.

When combined, 儿童 (értóng) brings together two characters for “child” to create a more formal, collective noun that signifies “children” as a demographic, a legal category, or a concept.

In Chinese culture, children are seen as the continuation of the family line and the future of society, a value deeply rooted in Confucianism. The term 儿童 (értóng) is often used in contexts that reflect this societal importance and the state's role in protecting and educating its youngest citizens.

For example, the most important holiday for children in China is called 儿童节 (Értóng Jié), “Children's Day,” on June 1st. This is a day of celebration in schools and communities, underscoring the collective focus on children's well-being.

Comparison to Western Culture: While the English word “children” is used in all contexts (e.g., “The law protects children” and “My children are playing outside”), Chinese makes a clearer distinction. 儿童 (értóng) is used for the former, official context (“The law protects children” - 法律保护儿童). For the latter, personal context, one would always use 孩子 (háizi) (“My children are playing outside” -我的孩子在外面玩). Using 儿童 to refer to your own kids in conversation would sound very strange and impersonal, like referring to them as “the minors.”

孩子 (háizi) - The most common and neutral word for “child” or “children.” The default choice for everyday conversation.

小孩 (xiǎohái) - An informal, colloquial term for “kid” or “little kid.”

儿童节 (Értóng Jié) - Children's Day (June 1st), a major holiday in China.

青少年 (qīngshàonián) - “Adolescents” or “youth.” The age group that comes after 儿童.

婴儿 (yīng'ér) - “Infant” or “baby.” A specific age group within the broader category of 儿童.

童年 (tóngnián) - “Childhood.” The time period when one is an 儿童.

童话 (tónghuà) - “Fairy tale.” Literally “child-speech.” Stories for children.

男童 / 女童 (nántóng / nǚtóng) - “Boy” / “Girl.” The formal, often statistical, terms for male and female children.

学龄儿童 (xuélíng értóng) - “School-age children,” a specific sub-category used in educational contexts.