Usage note
子女通常指一个人的儿子和女儿。
Zǐnǚ tōngcháng zhǐ yīgè rén de érzi hé nǚ'ér.
Children usually refer to a person's sons and daughters.
Context note
在家庭中，父母会照顾他们的子女。
Zài jiātíng zhōng, fùmǔ huì zhàogù tāmen de zǐnǚ.
In a family, parents take care of their children.
5 examples
这对夫妇有三个子女。
zhè duì fū fù yǒu sān gè zi nǚ。
This couple has three children.
她的子女都很聪明。
tā de zǐ nǚ dōu hěn cōng ming。
Her children are all very smart.
父母爱自己的子女。
fù mǔ ài zì jǐ de zǐ nǚ。
Parents love their own children.
学校欢迎所有子女来学习。
xué xiào huān yíng suǒ yǒu zǐ nǚ lái xué xí。
The school welcomes all children to learn.
他的子女经常帮助他做家务。
tā de zǐ nǚ jīng cháng bāng zhù tā zuò jiā wù。
His children often help him with housework.
5 mini stories
小明和他的子女一起去公园玩。
xiǎo míng hé tā de zǐ nǚ yì qǐ qù gōng yuán wán。
Xiao Ming and his children go to the park to play together.
李老师的子女在学校表现很好。
lǐ lǎo shī de zǐ nǚ zài xué xiào biǎo xiàn hěn hǎo。
Teacher Li's children perform very well at school.
王奶奶的子女经常来看望她。
wáng nǎi nai de zǐ nǚ jīng cháng lái kàn wàng tā。
Grandma Wang's children often come to visit her.
每个家庭都有子女，他们需要关爱。
měi gè jiā tíng dōu yǒu zǐ nǚ， tā men xū yào guān ài。
Every family has children, and they need care.
张先生的子女喜欢读书和画画。
zhāng xiān shēng de zǐ nǚ xǐ huan dú shū hé huà huà。
Mr. Zhang's children like reading and drawing.
Mini dialogue
介绍子女
A
你有子女吗？
Nǐ yǒu zǐnǚ ma?
Do you have children?
B
有，我有一个儿子和一个女儿。
Yǒu, wǒ yǒu yí ge érzi hé yí ge nǚ'ér.
Yes, I have a son and a daughter.
子女教育
A
子女的教育很重要。
Zǐnǚ de jiàoyù hěn zhòngyào.
Children's education is very important.
B
是的，我们要好好培养子女。
Shì de, wǒmen yào hǎohāo péiyǎng zǐnǚ.
Yes, we must raise our children well.
Related words and contrasts
similar
孩子
háizi
child; children
子女 is more formal and refers to sons and daughters; 孩子 is a common word for child.
opposite
父母
fùmǔ
parents
子女 means children (offspring), while 父母 means parents.