Words for family members and other relatives in Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua), a Sinitic language spoken in China, Taiwan and many other places.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, m = male, f = female, + = elder, - = younger, pt-= paternal, mt-= maternal
| Mandarin (普通话/國語) | |
|---|---|
| family | 家庭 (jiātíng) |
| relative | 亲戚 [親戚] (qīnqi) |
| parents | 父母 (fùmǔ) |
| father | 父親 (fùqīn) frm 爸爸 (bàba) inf |
| mother | 母親 (mǔqīn) frm 妈妈 [媽媽] (māma) inf |
| children | 孩子 (háizi) 儿童 [兒童] (értóng) |
| son | 儿子 [兒子] (érzi) |
| daughter | 女儿 [女兒] (nǚ'ér) |
| spouse | 配偶 (pèi'ǒu) |
| husband | 先生 (xiānshēng) frm 丈夫 (zhàng fu) frm 老公 (lǎogong) inf |
| wife | 太太 (tàitài) frm 妻子 (qīzi) 老婆 (lǎopó) inf |
| siblings | 兄弟姐妹 (xiōngdì jiemèi) |
| brother | 哥哥 (gēge) + 弟弟 (dìdi) - |
| sister | 姐姐 (jiějie) + 妹妹 (mèimèi) - |
| uncle | 伯伯 (bóbo) father's elder brother 叔叔 (shūshu) father's younger brother 姑丈 (gūzhàng) father's sister's husband 舅舅 (jiùjiu) mother's brother 姨丈 (yízhàng) mother's sister's husband |
| aunt | 姑姑 (gūgu) father's sister 婶婶 (shěnshen) father's brother's wife 姨妈 [姨媽] (yímā) mother's sister 舅妈 [舅媽] (jiùmā) mother's brother's wife |
| cousin (paternal) | 堂兄 (tángxiōng) +m 堂弟 (tángdì) -m 堂姐 (tángjiě) +f 堂妹 (tángmèi) -f |
| cousin (maternal) | 表兄 (biǎoxiōng) +m 表弟 (biǎodì) -m 表姐 (biǎojiě) +f 表妹 (biǎomèi) -f |
| nephew | 姪子 (zhízi) brother's son 外甥 (wàishēng) sister's son |
| niece | 姪女 (zhínǚ) brother's daughter 外甥女 (wàishengnǚ) sister's daughter |
| grandfather | 祖父 (zǔfù) pt-frm 爷爷 [爺爺] (yéye) pt-inf 外公 (wàigōng) mt-frm 公公 (gōnggōng) mt-inf |
| grandmother | 祖母 (zǔmǔ) pt-frm 奶奶 (nǎinai) pt-inf 外婆 (wài pó) mt-frm 姥姥 (lǎolǎo) mt-inf |
| grandson | 孙子 [孫子] (sūnzi) son's son 外孙子 [外孫子] (wàisūn) daughter's son |
| granddaughter | 孙女 [孫女] (sūnnǚ) son's daughter 外孙女 [外孫女] (wàisūnnǚ) daughter's daughter |
| father-in-law | 公公 (gōnggong) husband's father 岳父 (yuèfù) wife's father |
| mother-in-law | 婆婆 (pópo) husband's mother 岳母 (yuèmǔ) wife's mother |
| brother-in-law | 姐夫 (jiěfu) elder sister's husband 妹夫 (mèifu) younger sister's husband 大伯 (dàbó) husband's elder brother 小叔 (xiǎoshū) husband's younger brother |
| sister-in-law | 嫂子 (sǎozi) elder brother's wife 弟妹 (dìmèi) younger brother's wife 大姨子 (dàyízi) wife's elder sister 小姨子 (xiǎoyízi) wife's younger sister |
| son-in-law | 女婿 (nǚxu) |
| daughter-in-law | 媳婦 [媳妇] (xífù) |
Hear Chinese family words:
Information about Chinese kinship terms
http://www.kwanfamily.info/culture/familytitles_table.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_kinship
http://www.chinese-tools.com/chinese/vocabulary/list/138/family.html
http://www.oakton.edu/user/4/billtong/chinaclass/chinesekin.htm
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