what is the difference between shen1ti3 and shen1zi? both mean health?

[piano0011]

I like to clarify that do these words both mean health? Can I say something like:

 

wo de shenti/shenzi bu hao

[cncorrect]

Yes, you can. But shenzi has other meanings: https://baike.baidu.com/item/身子/3880182?fr=ge_ala

[piano0011]

according to my dictionary, it can also mean body or pregnancy Can i say:

 

1) guangzhe shenzi = be naked

2) you le qi ge yue de shenzi = be seven months pregnant?

3) ni shenzi ma? = are you pregnant?

 

how do you say: are you pregnant using shenzi?

[honglam]

I'de rather say that literally 身体 and 身子 have the meaning of body. The difference is that the latter is rather informal. So 身体好/不好 = one's body is good/bad, which means whether one's state of health is good or not.

BTW for foreign learners under upper-advanced level I recommend not to use 身子 when you're expression pregnancy. The correct usages are listed here:

a. 她有身子了 literally "She has a body."

b. 她身子重了 literally "Her body is heavy."

c. 她身子不方便 literally "Her body isn't convenient."

Above are just some of the expression I've ever heard expressing pregnancy using 身子. I'd rather say that these expressions are oral and idiom-like. The collocations are rigid and cannot be used productively.

PS. the most exact word to describe "Health" in Chinese is 健康. "One's health" = 某人的健康[状态], ”Public health(the discipline)“ = 公共卫生.

[piano0011]

@honglam So, I guess the actual meaning of shenzi or shenti means body....but according to my plecebo dictionary, it uses shenzi to mean pregnant? Can you say?

 

you le qi ge yue de shenzi?

[honglam]

On 1/23/2024 at 8:18 AM, piano0011 said:

So, I guess the actual meaning of shenzi or shenti means body....but according to my plecebo dictionary, it uses shenzi to mean pregnant? Can you say?

 

you le qi ge yue de shenzi?

Perhaps. I seldom use this expression so I'm not sure. But I think this expression is comprehensible.