干儿子

Traditional form:

乾兒子

Pinyin (reading):

gān'érzi

Definitions:

• adopted son (traditional adoption, i.e. without legal ramifications)

Characters:

• 干 - arid, dry; to oppose; to offend; to invade
• 儿 - son, child
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing

Traditional characters:

• 乾 - arid, dry; to fertilize; to penetrate; heavenly generative principle (male)
• 兒 - son, child
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing