gè zi
height; stature
他个子很高。
tā gèzi hěn gāo.
He is tall.
她个子很矮。
tā gèzi hěn ǎi.
She is short.
他们个子差不多高。
tāmen gèzi chàbuduō gāo.
They are about the same height.
身高 (shēng gāo)
height
体型 (tǐ xíng)
build
矮子 (ǎizi)
short person
高个子 (gāogèzi)
tall person
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The Chinese word 个子 (gèzi) for "a person's height" or "stature" is composed of two characters: 个 (gè) and 子 (zi). The character 个 originally meant "a person" or "an individual", and it is still used in this sense today. The character 子 has several meanings, including "son", "child", and "seed". In the word 个子, the character 子 is used as a diminutive suffix, indicating that the word is referring to a small or young person. Thus, the word 个子 literally means "a small person" or "a child", and it is used to refer to a person's height or stature.
