Phrase guide

sheng nu

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A woman in her mid- to late twenties and not yet married, particularly an unmarried successful businesswoman.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

Examples

  • 2010 Schott, Ben (15 March 2010). "Leftover Ladies & 3S Women". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 April 2013. The increasing prevalence of shengnü in China has boosted the number of shengnan – leftover men.
  • 2012, Sebag-Montefiore, Clarissa (August 21, 2012). "Romance With Chinese Characteristics". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-12-24. Women, meanwhile, must be married by 27; after that they are branded sheng nu or “leftover women.” (This derogatory term — whose prefix “sheng” is the same word used in “leftover food” — was listed as a new word in 2007 by the Chinese Ministry of Education).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Mandarin 剩女 (shèngnǚ, “leftover woman”). Typologically compare Turkish kalık (“residue, leftover; leftover woman, spinster”).

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: տանը մնացած (tanə mnacʻac) — leftover woman
  • Chinese Cantonese: 剩女 — leftover woman
  • Chinese Mandarin: 剩女 (shèngnǚ) — leftover woman
  • Finnish: ylijäämänainen — leftover woman
  • Korean: 올드 미스 (oldeu miseu) — leftover woman
  • Russian: невостре́бованная же́нщина (nevostrébovannaja žénščina) — leftover woman
  • Russian: ста́рая де́ва (stáraja déva) — leftover woman
  • Turkish: kalık — leftover woman