Almost everyone holds a special place in their heart for families. A family is those you’re bound with from birth, the ones who will always be there for you unconditionally. When we first meet someone, we like to be familiar with their family background. Knowing this provides valuable information on that person’s upbringing, which could shape their personality dramatically. Thus, it’s important to learn how to talk about your family in Chinese.
In China, family has great importance. 孝顺 (xiào shùn), which means being responsible and obedient to parents, is one of the best qualities a person can have. While reading this article, keep in mind that the Chinese view of parent-child relationships differs in some ways from that of Western countries.
Now let’s get right into today’s adventure!
Table of Contents
- Family Perceptions in China
- Family Member Terms and Other Basics
- Terms for Relatives
- Family Member Terms as a Married Person
- Endearment Terms
- Bonus – Interesting Expressions about Family Members
- Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Master Family Terms
1. Family Perceptions in China
The family institution in China is incredibly strong. China highly values family bonds, particularly parent-child relationships. When it comes to family in the Chinese culture, there are even traditions that say children should never travel far, and should always stay with their parents.
Even now, many men still live with their parents even after their marriage. In this case, the woman will have to move to the man’s house and live with his parents. This sometimes creates an unpleasant relationship between the wife and her mother-in-law, which is a situation you can see used as a stereotype in a wide variety of Chinese shows.
There are many different ways to name family members depending on your relationship to them. Age difference is the main factor in determining what to call a family member, since Chinese people heavily emphasize that youngsters should respect their elders.
One thing to keep in mind: Unlike in Western culture, it’s not respectful to directly call elders by their names. This matter will be introduced more thoroughly later in this article.
2. Family Member Terms and Other Basics
Here are some Chinese words for family members to expand your family in Chinese vocabulary! With just these basic words and phrases, you have a great place to start a simple conversation about family.
- In Chinese: 家人
Pinyin: jiā rén
In English: familyIn Chinese: 我的家庭很幸福。
Pinyin: Wǒ de jiā tíng hěn xìng fú.
In English: I have a happy family.In Chinese: 我是在单亲家庭中长大的。
Pinyin: Wǒ shì zài dān qīn jiā tíng zhōng zhǎng dà de.
In English: I grew up in a single-parent family. - In Chinese: 母亲
Pinyin: mǔ qīn
In English: mother - In Chinese: 父亲
Pinyin: fù qīn
In English: father - In Chinese: 妈妈
Pinyin: mā ma
In English: mom - In Chinese: 爸爸
Pinyin: bà ba
In English: dad - In Chinese: 姐姐 / 妹妹
Pinyin: jiě jie / mèi mei
In English: (older) sister / (younger) sisterIn Chinese: 我有个[姐姐].
Pinyin: Wǒ yǒu gè [jiě jie].
In English: I have a(n) [older sister]. - In Chinese: 哥哥/弟弟
Pinyin: gē ge /dì di
In English: (older) brother / (younger) brother - In Chinese: 兄弟姐妹
Pinyin: xiōng dì jiě mèi
In English: sibling
Fun fact: The interesting thing about siblings in Chinese is that older and younger siblings have different terms, whereas English does not.
- In Chinese: 姥爷 / 爷爷 / 祖父
Pinyin: lǎo yé / yé ye / zǔ fù
In English: (mother’s side) grandfather / (father’s side) grandfather / grandfather - In Chinese: 姥姥 / 奶奶 / 祖母
Pinyin: lǎo lao / nǎi nai / zǔ mǔ
In English: (mother’s side) grandmother / (father’s side) grandmother / grandmother - In Chinese: 父母 / 家长
Pinyin: fù mǔ / jiā zhǎng
In English: parents
Fun fact: The literal meaning of 家长 is the family’s leader.
- In Chinese: 祖父母
Pinyin: zǔ fù mǔ
In English: grandparents - In Chinese: 曾祖母
Pinyin: zēng zǔ mǔ
In English: great grandmother - In Chinese: 曾祖父
Pinyin: zēng zǔ fù
In English: great grandfather
3. Terms for Relatives
Who can say having a big family isn’t fun?
Now, let’s work our way around the Chinese family tree, so that you’ll never struggle to find the right word for a family member!
- In Chinese: 亲戚/亲属
Pinyin: qīn qi / qīn shǔ
In English: relative
Fun fact: There’s a fun Chinese term called 走亲戚 (zǒu qīn qi), which literally means “walk through relatives.” This is a tradition that Chinese people normally have during Chinese New Year, which is also known as the Spring Festival. It’s a holiday where families spend time together and catch up, just like Christmas in Western cultures. If some families can’t make the reunion, you’ll need to 走亲戚, to visit them at their place and spend some quality time. This shows that the Chinese extended family is just as important as the Chinese immediate family.
- In Chinese: 叔叔
Pinyin: shū shu
In English: uncle - In Chinese: 阿姨
Pinyin: ā yí
In English: aunt
Fun fact: In English, youngsters can usually call their elders who have no relations Mr. or Ms. and such, and sometimes if an elder is close enough, they can even directly call them by their names. This is quite different in China.
The young generation have to call adults who are older a certain term depending on the age difference. Usually, you can call people who are ten to twenty years older “aunt” (阿姨) or “uncle” (叔叔). For people who are at a similar age as your grandparents, you’re required to call them “grandmother” (奶奶) or “grandfather” (爷爷).
- In Chinese: 堂兄弟姐妹/表兄弟姐妹
Pinyin: táng xiōng dì jiě mèi /biǎo xiōng dì jiě mèi
In English: cousin
Fun fact: Since “cousin” in Chinese is a relatively long word, Chinese people usually don’t use the word “cousin.” Instead, they’ll use the terms that can show the direct relation. There are eight different terms under the category “cousin,” including: 堂兄 (táng xiōng) [male, father’s side, older], 堂弟 (táng dì) [male, father’s side, younger], 堂姐 (táng jiě) [female, father’s side, older], 堂妹 (táng mèi) [female, father’s side, younger], 表兄 (biǎo xiōng) [male, mother’s side, older], 表弟 (biǎo dì) [male, mother’s side, younger], 表姐 (biǎo jiě) [female, mother’s side, older], 表妹 (biǎo mèi) [female, mother’s side, younger].
- In Chinese: 外甥女 / 侄女
Pinyin: wài shēng nǚ / zhí nǚ
In English: niece - In Chinese: 侄子 / 外甥
Pinyin: zhí zi / wài shēng
In English: nephew
4. Family Member Terms as a Married Person
Once you’ve married in Chinese culture, you’ve gained several new Chinese family members. Here’s what to call them all!
- In Chinese: 妻子
Pinyin: qī zǐ
In English: wife - In Chinese: 丈夫 / 先生
Pinyin: zhàng fū / xiān shēng
In English: husband
I believe we all want a happy family!
- In Chinese: 女儿
Pinyin: nǚ ér
In English: daughter - In Chinese: 儿子
Pinyin: ér zi
In English: son - In Chinese: 姐夫 / 妹夫
Pinyin: jiě fū / mèi fū
In English: brother-in-law - In Chinese: 嫂子 / 弟妹
Pinyin: sǎo zi / dì mèi
In English: (older brother’s side) sister-in-law / (younger brother’s side) sister-in-law - In Chinese: 婆婆 / 岳母
Pinyin: pó po / yuè mǔ
In English: mother-in-law (husband’s mother) / mother-in-law (wife’s mother) - In Chinese: 公公 / 岳父
Pinyin: gōng gong / yuè fù
In English: father-in-law (husband’s father) / father-in-law (wife’s father)
Fun fact: In Chinese culture, if you’re on good terms with your father-in-law and mother-in-law, and you feel comfortable, it will be good to call them “mom” or “dad,” just like your wife/husband does. This shows that you see them as your own mother or father. However, in many cases, it can be difficult to get along with your father-in-law or mother-in-law.
5. Endearment Terms
Let’s use more endearment terms to call the ones you love!
- In Chinese: 爹地 / 爸爸 / 老爸
Pinyin: diē dì / bà ba / lǎo bà
In English: daddy - In Chinese: 妈咪 / 妈妈 / 老妈
Pinyin: mā mī / mā ma / lǎo mā
In English: mommy - In Chinese: 老哥 / 老弟
Pinyin: lǎo gē / lǎo dì
In English: (older) brother / (younger) brother - In Chinese: 老姐 / 老妹
Pinyin: lǎo jiě / lǎo mèi
In English: (older) sister / (younger) sister - In Chinese: 老婆 / 媳妇
Pinyin: lǎo pó / xí fù
In English: wife - In Chinese: 老公
Pinyin: lǎo gōng
In English: husband
Fun fact: 老 means “old” in Chinese, which is a very common thing to call someone who is close to you in Chinese. If you notice, lots of the nicknames mentioned above begin with a 老. In this case, 婆 and 公 each means “old women” and “old men.” By calling your other half this, it shows your commitment that you want to grow old with each other.
- In Chinese: 亲爱的
Pinyin: qīn ài de
In English: dear - In Chinese: 宝贝
Pinyin: bǎo bèi
In English: baby - In Chinese: 闺女
Pinyin: guī nǚ
In English: daughter
6. Bonus – Interesting Expressions about Family Members
- In Chinese: 虎毒不食子。
Pinyin: Hǔ dú bú shí zǐ.
In English: Even a vicious tiger won’t eat its own son.
Actual meaning: Parents will always treat their own children kindly, no matter how evil their nature is. - In Chinese: 有其父必有其子。
Pinyin: Yǒu qí fù bì yǒu qí zǐ.
In English: Like father, like son.
Actual meaning: A son’s character is very likely to resemble his father’s. - In Chinese: 不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。
Pinyin: Bù tīng lǎo rén yán, chī kuī zài yǎn qián.
In English: If you don’t listen to elders’ advice, you will learn your lesson.
7. Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Master Family Terms
I hope you’re now more fascinated with the unique Chinese culture after reading this article about Chinese family. Continue to binge on learning the most native and entertaining Chinese lessons at ChineseClass101.com; here, Chinese is no longer an excruciating language that’s hard to master. It’s a paradise where you can enjoy yourself even while studying!
Before you go, let us know in the comments how confident you feel naming your family members in Chinese now! And tell us common sayings or idioms about family in your own language while you’re at it! 😉 We look forward to hearing from you!
By
Last updated:
July 2, 2022
How to Talk to (or About) Family and Friends in Chinese
Friends. Food. Feelings. Identities. Weather. Family.
Maybe you’re someone who believes labels are too restrictive.
That’s totally understandable and okay.
Lots of labels can be unnecessary and limiting!
But on a practical level, language irrevocably revolves around labeling just about everything in some way.
And being able to identify different family members and familial relationships in Chinese is vital.
Whether you’re staying with a host family while studying Mandarin abroad or just want to improve your overall vocabulary, you’ll need to know who the different people in a family are in relation to each other, and what words you need to use to refer to or address them.
Luckily, Chinese family words are super easy to learn.
There are, however, quite a lot of them.
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Why Should I Learn Chinese Family Words?
- If you’re planning on studying abroad, you may be living with a host family. Chinese family words are a necessity when identifying and communicating with each member of your host family.
- The more expansive your vocabulary is, the more fluent you become. Like with food and other basic concepts, learning Mandarin family words is not only a necessity for beginner learners, but an easy way to increase your vocabulary knowledge and take one more step towards fluency.
- Family in Chinese culture is important, so you may find family vocabulary popping up in conversation more than you’d expect. Even if you won’t be staying with a host family, learning Chinese family words is pretty vital if you ever plan on having a conversation with a native Mandarin speaker. Chinese small talk often ends up falling on family matters, so you’ll need to know the lingo.
Host Family Vocabulary Words
寄宿家庭 (jì sù jiā tíng) — host family
This term is usually used when talking about one’s host family, but not for directly addressing them.
我的寄宿家庭非常慷慨。(wǒ de jì sù jiā tíng fēi cháng kāng kǎi.) — My host family is very generous.
家庭 (jiā tíng) — family
This phrase works best for addressing a room full of family members or host family members.
早上好，家庭! (zǎo shang hǎo, jiā tíng!) — Good morning, family!
家人 (jiā rén) — family member, lit. “family person”
When it comes to addressing or speaking of individual members of your host family, you wouldn’t use terms like “cousin” or “little sister” unless you’re fairly close to them. Using descriptive family terms for people you don’t know really well comes off a bit strange.
For this reason, using 家人 or a person’s name is the best route to take. It’s also a great term to use when describing someone else’s family member if you don’t know the details of how they’re related.
我的家人非常聪明。(wǒ de jiā rén fēi cháng cōng míng.) — My family member is very smart.
朋友 (péng yǒu) — friend
Use this term to describe a close roommate or friend. You can use 朋友 to address your friend as well, but using their name is a little more common.
我的朋友艾米莉总是问 “吃了吗？” (wǒ de péng yǒu ai mǐ lì zǒng shì wèn “chī le ma?”) — My friend Emily always asks, “Have you eaten?”
死党 (sǐ dǎng) — best friend
Literally, “side kick.” You can use this term to describe your best friend, or address them (but it may be a bit better to use their name instead).
我的死党是最好的。(wǒ de sǐ dǎng shì zuì hǎo de.) — My best friend is awesome.
亲戚 (qīn qī) — relative
This term is used when describing someone, not when speaking to them.
她是亲戚吗？(tā shì qīn qī ma?) — Is she a relative?
室友 (shì yǒu) — roommates or housemates
If you’re close with your roommates, you can use this term as a sort of tongue-in-cheek way to address them. Otherwise, use 室友 when speaking about your roommates.
她的室友很搞笑。(tā de shì yǒu hěn gǎo xiào.) — Her roommate is hilarious.
闺蜜 (guī mì) — best female friend
This term is used to describe or address women only.
闺蜜，你今天看起来很可爱！(guī mì, nǐ jīn tiān kàn qǐ lái hěn kě’ài!) — Best friend, you look so cute today!
兄弟 (xiōng dì) — best male friend
This term is used to describe or address men only.
我的兄弟可以说俄语。(wǒ de xiōng dì kě yǐ shuō è yǔ.) — My best friend can speak Russian.
General Family Vocabulary Words
兄弟姐妹 (xiōng dì jiě mèi) — siblings
It’s most common to address one’s siblings by their names or by “brother” or “sister.” This term is good for describing a group of siblings.
我母亲有十二个兄弟姐妹。(wǒ mǔ qīn yǒu shí’èr gè xiōng dì jiě mèi.) — My mother has twelve different siblings.
父母 (fù mǔ) — parents
Use this term when describing parents, but not when addressing them.
我的父母正在衰老。(wǒ de fù mǔ zhèng zài shuāi lǎo.) — My parents are getting older.
父亲 (fù qīn) — father
This phrase is good for addressing and speaking of fathers. This is a more formal term to use.
他的父亲是一名警察。(tā de fù qīn shì yī míng jǐng chá.) — His father is a policeman.
母亲 (mǔ qin) — mother
This phrase is good for addressing and speaking of a mother. This is also a more formal term to use.
我的母亲是世界上最善良的女人。(wǒ de mǔ qīn shì shì jiè shàng zuì shàn liáng de nǚ rén.) — My mother is the kindest woman in the world.
爸爸 (bàba) — dad
This term is best used when addressing one’s father, but 父亲 should generally be used when speaking of a father. However, using this more affectionate term still works when talking to close people about one’s father.
爸爸去了哪里？(bà ba qù le nǎ lǐ?) — Where did Dad go?
妈妈 (māma) — mom
This term is best used when addressing one’s mother, but 母亲 should be used when speaking of a mother. As with 爸爸, you can also use this term when speaking about your mom with close friends or family.
我爱你妈妈。(wǒ ài nǐ, mā mā.) — I love you, Mom.
哥哥 (gē ge) — elder brother
Use 哥哥 when describing an elder brother or addressing him directly, as with the respective family members described by 姐姐, 弟弟 and 妹妹 (below).
我的哥哥是二十三岁。(wǒ dí gē gē shì èr shí sān suì.) — My older brother is twenty-three years old.
姐姐 (jiě jie) — elder sister
我的姐姐为谷歌工作。(wǒ de jiě jie wèi gǔ gē gōng zuò.) — My older sister works for Google.
弟弟 (dì dì) — little brother
我的弟弟只是一个孩子。(wǒ de dì dì zhǐ shì yī gè hái zi.) — My little brother is only a kid.
妹妹 (mèi mei) — little sister
你的妹妹很小！(nǐ de mèi mei hěn xiǎo!) — Your little sister is so small!
配偶 (pèi ǒu) — partner or spouse
When describing your partner or someone else’s partner, use this term. It’s a little too formal to use when addressing your own spouse.
This term is used to refer to anyone’s partner or spouse, including those in same-sex or otherwise non-traditional couples.
那是他的配偶吗？(nà shì tā de pèi ǒu ma?) — Is that his spouse?
丈夫 (zhàng fū) — husband
You can call your own husband 丈夫 if you’d like, but this term is mostly used to describe a husband.
我丈夫的名字是约翰。(wǒ zhàng fū de míng zì shì yuē hàn.) — My husband’s name is John.
妻子 (qī zi) — wife
Like 丈夫, this term is best for describing a wife (yours or someone else’s).
我爱我的妻子。(wǒ ài wǒ de qī zi.) — I love my wife.
孩子 (hái zi) — children
Literally, “offspring.” You can use this term to describe children, or to call out to a group of children if you’re a teacher or babysitter.
我有三个孩子。(wǒ yǒu sān gè hái zi.) — I have three children.
女儿 (nǚ’ér) — daughter
This is ideal for describing or addressing one’s daughter, as are 儿子, 表妹, 表弟, 表姐 and 表哥 (below) for the respective family members they represent.
我女儿在学校。(wǒ nǚ ér zài xué xiào.) — My daughter is at school.
儿子 (ér zi) — son
她的儿子是我的朋友。(tā de ér zi shì wǒ de péng yǒu.) — Her son is a friend of mine.
表妹 (biǎo mèi) — younger female cousin
我找到了表妹！(wǒ zhǎo dào le biǎo mèi!) — I found little cousin!
表弟 (biǎo dì) — younger male cousin
我的表弟是一个麻烦制造者。(wǒ de biǎo dì shì yī gè má fan zhì zào zhě.) — My little cousin is a troublemaker.
表姐 (biǎo jiě) — older female cousin
表姐, 看看我的画！(biǎo jiě, kàn kàn wǒ de huà!) — Older cousin, look at my painting!
表哥 (biǎo gē) — older male cousin
我的表哥是一位作家。(wǒ de biǎo gē shì yī wèi zuò jiā.) — My older cousin is a writer.
祖父母 (zǔ fù mǔ) — the general term for grandparents
This term is best for speaking of grandparents, be they your own or someone else’s, but 爷爷, 姥姥, 祖父 and 祖母 (see below) should be used when addressing a grandparent.
她的祖父母是政治家。(tā de zǔ fù mǔ shì zhèng zhì jiā.) — Her grandparents are politicians.
爷爷 (yé yé) — mother’s father
爷爷跑得快。(yé yé pǎo dé kuài.) — Grandpa runs fast.
姥姥 (lǎo lao) — mother’s mother
姥姥，你在家吗？(lǎo lao, nǐ zài jiā ma?) — Grandma, are you home?
祖父 (zǔ fù) — father’s father
我的祖父吃。(wǒ de zǔ fù chī.) — My grandfather eats.
祖母 (zǔ mǔ) — father’s mother
我的祖母做饭。(wǒ de zǔ mǔ zuò fàn.) — My grandmother cooks.
舅父 (jiù fù) — mother’s brother or one’s uncle
This phrase along with 阿姨, 姑母 and 叔 (below) are great for addressing and talking about aunts or uncles.
我的舅父来自台湾。(wǒ de jiù fù lái zì tái wān.) — My uncles are from Taiwan.
阿姨 (yí) — mother’s sister or one’s aunt
我有三个阿姨。(wǒ yǒu sān gè ā yí.) — I have three aunts.
姑母 (gū mǔ) — father’s sister or one’s aunt
你的姑母会来参加婚礼吗？(nǐ de gū mǔ huì lái cān jiā hūn lǐ ma?) — Will your aunt come to the wedding?
叔 (shū) — father’s brother or one’s uncle
我的叔叔很老。(wǒ de shū hěn lǎo.) — My uncle is old.
Memorizing the basic labels that describe people in a family group is something the beginner learner really needs to know.
Chinese family words really aren’t all that different from English family words, are they?
Good luck studying abroad and don’t forget to thank your 寄宿家庭 (jì sù jiā tíng — host family) for their support!
Download:
This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you
can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)
For Chinese people, family is everything. Although many traditional customs have been abandoned by modern Chinese families, the value placed on family life is as high as ever. Therefore, we want to share a vocabulary for family in Chinese with you so that you can apply it in the conversation!
Having a solid nuclear family is highly valued in Chinese culture. Therefore, each member’s responsibilities have always been well-defined within the Chinese family.
Elders are respected in Chinese society because of their knowledge and insight. If a younger person challenges an older person’s opinion, they are seen as disrespectful. Parents or other adults in the household are seen as providers.
They were expected to start a family as soon as possible, marry young, and work hard to support themselves and their family. Children were never allowed to make their own choices; instead, those choices were decided for them.
As you may notice, a high level of closeness between family members in Chinese culture can probably somehow affect each member’s identity. So first, let’s learn the meaning of the Chinese words 家庭 (Jiātíng), which means family or home, and then we’ll go on to the vocabulary related to family members in Chinese.
家庭 (Jiātíng) – Family Or Home
Having a term with two meanings that are somehow connected stands to reason, and it reveals a great deal about traditional Chinese thought and practice. Many people’s personalities and safety nets originate from their families. Confucianism provides a framework for understanding the Chinese family.
According to Confucianism, the family is the fundamental unit of society since it contains all the most solid connections for individuals. And it leads to the common practice of a big family, this means many people living together in the same house.
Three Generation Households
In a typical Chinese house, there is usually living as a big family. So you can expect Chinese family members from grandparents, parents, and children to live under the same roof. The father or grandfather is the head of the household and traditionally has the responsibility of financially caring for his family.
As a result of this role, he will have complete control over the family and the final word in all decisions. However, after their father passed away, the children separated and built their separate households.
Vocabulary For Family In Chinese
Learning some vocabulary for family members in Chinese is best to help you picture the average Chinese family size. By familiarizing yourself with the several terms Chinese people refer to their family members, you may begin to get an image. Alright, so let’s get going!
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Definition | Pronunciation |
| 外公 | wàigōng | Grandfather (on father’s side) |
|
| 爷爷 | yéye | Grandfather (on mother’s side) |
|
| 奶奶 | nǎinai | Grandmother (on father’s side) |
|
| 外婆 | wàipó | Grandmother (on mother’s side) |
|
| 父亲 | fùqīn | Father |
|
| 爸爸 | bàba | Dad |
|
| 母亲 | mǔqīn | Mother |
|
| 妈妈 | māma | Mom |
|
| 儿子 | érzi | Son |
|
| 儿子 | nǚ’ér | Daughter |
|
| 兄弟 | xiōngdì | Brother |
|
| 哥哥 | gēge | Older brother |
|
| 弟弟 | dìdi | Younger brother |
|
| 姐妹 | jiěmèi | Sister |
|
| 姐姐 | jiějie | Older sister |
|
| 妹妹 | mèimei | Younger sister |
|
| 姑母 | gūmǔ | Aunt/father’s sister |
|
| 姨母 | yímǔ | Aunt/mother’s sister |
|
| 伯父 | bófù | Uncle/father’s older brother |
|
| 叔父 | shūfù | Uncle/father’s younger brother |
|
| 舅父 | jiùfù | Uncle/mother’s brother |
|
| 堂兄 | tángxiōng | Older female cousin (on father’s side) |
|
| 堂弟 | tángdì | Younger female cousin (on father’s side) |
|
| 堂姐 | tángjiě | Older female cousin (on mother’s side) |
|
| 堂妹 | tángmèi | Younger female cousin (on mother’s side) |
|
| 表兄 | biǎoxiōng | Older male cousin (on father’s side) |
|
| 表弟 | biǎodì | Younger male cousin (on father’s side) |
|
| 表姐 | biǎojiě | Older male cousin (on mother’s side) |
|
| 表妹 | biǎomèi | Younger male cousin (on mother’s side) |
|
Vocabulary For An In-Law In Chinese
Traditionally, Chinese wives move into their husband’s homes and become part of their large family, which often includes her in-laws and their husband’s parents. Let’s study up on in-law vocabulary.
| Chinese Word | Pinyin | English Definition | Pronunciation |
| 公公 | gōnggong | Father-in-law (of woman) |
|
| 岳父 | yuèfù | Father-in-law (of man) |
|
| 婆婆 | pópo | Mother-in-law (of woman) |
|
| 岳母 | yuèmǔ | Mother-in-law(of man) |
|
| 女婿 | nǚxu | Son-in-law |
|
| 媳妇 | xífu | Daughter-in-law |
|
| 姐夫 | jiěfu | Older sister’s husband/brother-in-law |
|
| 妹夫 | mèifu | Younger sister’s husband/brother-in-law |
|
| 嫂子 | shǎozi | Older brother’s wife/sister-in-law |
|
| 弟媳 | dìxí | Younger brother’s wife/sister-in-law |
|
| 伯母 | bómǔ | Father’s older brother’s wife/aunt-in-law |
|
| 婶母 | shěnmǔ | Father’s younger brother’s wife/aunt-in-law |
|
| 舅母 | jiùmǔ | Mother’s brother’s wife/aunt-in-law |
|
| 姑父 | gūfu | Father’s sister’s husband/uncle-in-law |
|
| 姨父 | yífu | Mother’s sister’s husband/uncle-in-law |
|
| 大伯子 | dàbǎizi | Husband’s older brother |
|
| 小叔子 | xiǎoshūzi | Husband’s younger brother |
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| 内兄 | nèixiōng | Wife’s older brother |
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| 内弟 | nèidì | Wife’s younger brother |
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| 姑子 | gūzi | Husband’s sister |
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| 姨子 | yízi | Wife’s sister |
|
In Summary
After learning the above terminology, you can have the strange impression that Chinese individuals compose Chinese-specific terms for their paternal and maternal lines. Create your own family tree and add words that describe your family members as you go. This will enable you to remember and use Chinese family-related words more quickly and effectively.
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jiā
Chinese Definition
Translations for family and their definitions
| 家 | |
| 1. home | |
| 我 的 家 就 在 這裡。 — My home is here. | |
| 2. house | |
| 3. family; household | |
| 家庭 — family | |
| 家族 — clan; family | |
| 4. (polite, for family member) my | |
| 5. domesticated; domestic | |
| 6. (Classifier for families, businesses and companies.) | |
| 7. school of thought; philosophical school | |
| ^儒家 — Confucian school | |
| ^道家 — Daoist School | |
| 8. (Suffix denoting a person with a certain occupation or social standing.) -er | |
| 9. (Suffix denoting specialist in a certain activity or field.) -ist; -er | |
| 藝術家 — artist | |
| 科學家 — scientist |
| 家庭 | |
| 1. n. family; household | |
| 寄養 家庭 — foster family |
| 科 | |
| 1. sort; class; kind | |
| 2. law; regulation | |
| 3. (historical) imperial examination | |
| 4. article; clause | |
| 5. norms; rules | |
| 6. division; branch (of study) | |
| 7. section; department | |
| 8. (taxonomy) family | |
| 9. to pass a sentence | |
| 10. to check; to examine | |
| 11. to punish; to fine or levy taxes |
| 家族 | |
| 1. n. family; household; clan | |
| 家族 世襲 — hereditary succession |
Pronunciation
jiā
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Family Vocabulary in Chinese
Posted by on Sep 27, 2017 in Vocabulary
Talking about family is a great way to practice your Chinese. To do so, you’ll want to learn some family vocabulary in Chinese first.
Follow this short video to learn 25 important Chinese words for family:
家 – jiā
family
父母 – fù mǔ
parents
爸爸 – bà ba
dad
妈妈 – mā ma
mom
兄弟姐妹 – xiōng dì jiě mèi
siblings
哥哥 – gē ge
older brother
弟弟 – dì di
younger brother
姐姐 – jiě jie
older sister
妹妹 – mèi mei
younger sister
配偶 – pèi ǒu
spouse
丈夫 – zhàng fū
husband
妻子 – qī zi
wife
孩子 – hái zi
children
儿子 – Ér zi
son
女儿 – nǚ ér
daughter
祖父母 – zǔ fù mǔ
grandparents
爷爷 – yé ye
grandpa (father’s side)
奶奶 – nǎi nai
grandma (father’s side)
姥爷 – lǎo yé
grandpa (mother’s side)
姥姥 – lǎo lao
grandma (mother’s side)
孙子 – sūn zi
grandchildren
叔叔 – shū shu
uncle
阿姨 – Ā yí
auntie
外甥 – wài shēng
nephew
侄女 – zhí nǚ
niece
The Chinese family tree can get quite complicated. For example, there are actually several different words for aunt, uncle, and cousin. I included the most common words for aunt and uncle in the video, but when it comes to cousins, there are just so many words! Check out our post on Chinese family vocabulary to learn all of those words and then some.
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About the Author: sasha
Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they’re currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.