Son in Chinese
The Chinese word for son is 儿子 (ér zi). The everyday word for son. In traditional characters it is written 兒子.
ér zi
Son
What 儿子 means.
儿子 is the plain word for son. 儿 began as a picture of a small child. Parents often have the child's Chinese name written instead, for a more personal tattoo.
- 儿
- child, son
- 子
- noun ending
Simplified and traditional
儿子
兒子
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 兒子 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 儿子 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
About son in Chinese
How do you write son in Chinese?
Son is 儿子 in Chinese, pronounced ér zi. Son 儿 means “child, son”, 子 means “noun ending”.
How do you pronounce 儿子?
Say ér (second tone, rising), zi (neutral tone, light and short). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 儿子 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 兒子, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 儿子 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
Is 儿子 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.