女士
nǔshì · HSK 4
lady
👩 女 (woman) + 士 (scholar/gentleman) = lady, Ms.
女 means woman; 士 is a respectful term for a scholar or refined person. Together they form a polite address for a woman, like Ms. or madam. The pinyin nǔshì is often heard in formal greetings: 女士们,先生们 (ladies and gentlemen).
女 — pictograph of a kneeling woman
女 is a pictograph originating in oracle bone script, depicting a person kneeling with arms crossed in front, a posture associated with women in ancient China. Over time the form was simplified and squared off into the modern character. Its core meaning of 'woman' or 'female' has remained stable for over three thousand years.