only child; sole descendant
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesnoun
only child; sole offspring; sole descendant of a family
informalOften used colloquially, sometimes with the affectionate diminutive '儿' (dúmiáor). Can imply the preciousness or pressure on the only descendant. The variant '独苗苗' is also used.
Tā他
shì是
jiā家
lǐ里
de的
dú独
miáo苗
，
fù父
mǔ母
duì对
tā他
jì寄
yǔ予
hòu厚
wàng望
。
He is the only child in the family, and his parents have high expectations for him.
Wǒ我
men们
zhè这
yī一
mài脉
，
jiù就
shèng剩
tā他
zhè这
ge个
dú独
miáo苗
miáo苗
le了
。
In our branch of the family, he's the last remaining descendant.
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Lǎo老
Wáng王
jiā家
sān三
dài代
dān单
chuán传
，
zhè这
ge个
ér儿
zi子
kě可
shì是
tā他
de的
dú独
miáo苗
r儿
。
The Wang family has had only one male heir for three generations; this son is his sole descendant.
Zuò作
wéi为
jiā家
zú族
dú独
miáo苗
，
tā他
chéng承
dān担
zhe着
yán延
xù续
xiāng香
huǒ火
de的
zé责
rèn任
。
As the sole male descendant of the family, he bears the responsibility of continuing the family line.
Zhè这
ge个
dú独
miáo苗
r儿
kě可
qiān千
wàn万
bù不
néng能
chū出
shì事
。
We absolutely cannot let anything happen to this only child.