Chinese Family & Relationship Terms
Chinese has the most precise family terminology of any language. While English uses "uncle" for your dad's brother, mom's brother, and their husbands, Chinese has a different word for each one. This reflects the deep importance of family hierarchy in Chinese culture.
Immediate Family
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | 爸爸 | bàba | Informal; 父亲 (fùqīn) is formal |
| Mother | 妈妈 | māma | Informal; 母亲 (mǔqīn) is formal |
| Older brother | 哥哥 | gēge | Also used for older male friends |
| Younger brother | 弟弟 | dìdi | |
| Older sister | 姐姐 | jiějie | Also used for older female friends |
| Younger sister | 妹妹 | mèimei | |
| Husband | 老公 | lǎogōng | Casual; 丈夫 (zhàngfu) is formal |
| Wife | 老婆 | lǎopó | Casual; 妻子 (qīzi) is formal |
Father's Side vs Mother's Side
This is where Chinese gets uniquely specific — and where English speakers get confused:
Father's Side (paternal)
- 爷爷 (yéye) — Grandfather
- 奶奶 (nǎinai) — Grandmother
- 伯伯 (bóbo) — Father's older brother
- 叔叔 (shūshu) — Father's younger brother
- 姑姑 (gūgu) — Father's sister
- 堂兄弟 (táng xiōngdì) — Paternal male cousins
Mother's Side (maternal)
- 外公 (wàigōng) — Grandfather
- 外婆 (wàipó) — Grandmother
- 舅舅 (jiùjiu) — Mother's brother
- 阿姨 (āyí) — Mother's sister
- 姨父 (yífu) — Mother's sister's husband
- 表兄弟 (biǎo xiōngdì) — Maternal male cousins
Memory Tip: Words with 外 (wài, meaning "outside") belong to the mother's side. In traditional Chinese culture, a married woman was considered part of her husband's family — her birth family was the "outside" family.