Chinese word

公主

Pronunciation

Pinyingōng zhǔ

Meaning

  • nounprincess

Example

妈妈常说我不是公主，要自己做家务。mā mā cháng shuō wǒ bú shì gōng zhǔ yào zì jǐ zuò jiā wù

Mom often says I'm not a princess and need to do my own chores.

Illustration for 公主 (princess)

More examples

她不喜欢被当成公主，更愿意独立生活。tā bù xǐ huān bèi dàng chéng gōng zhǔ gèng yuàn yì dú lì shēng huó

She does not like being treated as a princess and would rather live independently.

Core concept

A daughter born into a royal family whose place in the dynasty gives her a recognized court identity.

Common phrases

  • 当上公主dāng shàng gōng zhǔ

    become a princess

  • 被当作公主bèi dàng zuò gōng zhǔ

    be treated as a princess

  • 公主的身份gōng zhǔ de shēn fèn

    princess status

Similar words

王女wáng nǚ: A woman of royal birth who is the daughter of a king.
皇女huáng nǚ: A woman of imperial birth who is the daughter of an emperor.

Definition in Chinese

王室或君主的女儿，常作为对皇族女性的称号。wáng shì huò jūn zhǔ de nǚ ér cháng zuò wéi duì huáng zú nǚ xìng de chēng hào

Word origin

The title 公主 (gōngzhǔ, "princess") is linked to the practice of having a duke, 公 (gōng, "duke"), preside over a ruler's daughter's marriage, after which it became a title for the ruler's daughter.

Usage tips

  • Everyday use can point to a person's privileged treatment rather than royal birth, which makes the word useful for describing social behavior as well as court figures.

Opposites

Related words

  • 公主病gōng zhǔ bìngprincess syndromenoun
  • 公主裙gōng zhǔ qúnprincess dressnoun

Word lists with this word