Chinese word

个子

Pronunciation

Pinyingè zi

Meaning

  • nounheight

Example

他的个子是180厘米。tā de gè zi shì 180 lí mǐ

His height is 180 centimeters.

Illustration for 个子 (height)

More examples

她虽然个子矮，但跑得很快。tā suī rán gè zi ǎi dàn pǎo de hěn kuài

Although she is short, she runs very fast.

Core concept

It describes how tall or short a person seems, together with the person's general body size.

Common phrases

  • 个子矮gè zi ǎi

    short

  • 个子小gè zi xiǎo

    small build

Similar words

身高shēn gāo: The exact height of a person, given as a measurement such as 180 centimeters.
个头gè tóu: A casual description of a person's height or general bodily size.
身材shēn cái: The shape and proportions of a person's whole body, including its general size.

Definition in Chinese

口语中用来指人的身高或体型大小，强调高矮的总体印象。kóu yǔ zhōng yòng lái zhǐ rén de shēn gāo huò tǐ xíng dà xiǎo qiáng diào gāo ǎi de zóng tǐ yìn xiàng

Word origin

个 (gè, "individual") + 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix") gives a compact colloquial label for an individual's physical size.

Usage tips

  • The word commonly combines with adjectives for tall or short, while a numerical statement normally includes a unit such as centimeters.

Other meanings

  • buildnoun

Opposites

  • 高个子gāo gè zitall personnoun

Word lists with this word