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noun HSK 4
Traditional 性別
xìng bié
gender · sex

Meaning

性别 refers to the biological sex or social gender of a person or animal. It is a formal, neutral term commonly used in official contexts like forms, documents, and academic discussions. The word combines 性 (nature, sex) and 别 (distinction, category).

Usage

This is the standard term for asking or stating someone's gender/sex in formal settings. You'll see it on registration forms, ID cards, and surveys. In casual conversation, people might ask '你是男的还是女的？' instead. The word carries no connotation and is completely neutral.

Examples

  1. 01
    请在表格上填写您的姓名和性别。
    Qǐng zài biǎo gé shàng tián xiě nín de xìng míng hé xìng bié.
    Please fill in your name and gender on the form.
  2. 02
    这项研究调查了不同性别对压力的反应。
    Zhè xiàng yán jiū diào chá le bù tóng xìng bié duì yā lì de fǎn yìng.
    This study investigated how different genders respond to stress.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 性别歧视
    xìng bié qí shì
    gender discrimination
  • 性别比例
    xìng bié bǐ lì
    gender ratio
  • 不同性别
    bù tóng xìng bié
    different genders

Origin

性 originally meant 'nature' or 'innate quality,' while 别 means 'to distinguish' or 'category.' Together they form 'sex/gender distinction,' a modern compound that emerged to categorize biological and social differences.

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