Chinese Family Terms

Chinese Family Terms

Nuclear Family

father
01 baba
bàba
爸爸

older brother
03 gege
gēge
哥哥

younger brother
05 didi
dìdi
弟弟

mother
02 mama
māma
妈妈

older sister
04 jiejie
jiějie
姐姐

younger sister
06 meimei
mèimei
妹妹

Grandparents

 paternal 

grandfather
07 yeye
yéye
爷爷/
08 gonggong
gōnggōng
公公/
09 agong
āgōng
阿公

grandmother
10 nainai
nǎinai
奶奶/
11 popo
pópó
婆婆/
12 ama
āmà
阿嫲

 maternal 

grandfather
13 laoye
lǎoye
老爷/
14 waigong
wàigōng
外公

grandmother
15 laolao
lǎolao
姥姥/
16 waipo
wàipó
外婆

Uncles/ Aunts

 paternal 

uncle (father’s older brothers)
17 bobo
bóbo
伯伯

uncle (father’s younger brothers)
18 shushu
shūshu
叔叔

aunt (father’s sisters)
19 gugu
gūgu
姑姑

 maternal 

uncle (mother’s brothers)
20 jiujiu
jiùjiu
舅舅

aunt (mother’s sisters)
21 yima
yímā
姨妈/
22 ayi
āyí
阿姨

Cousins

 paternal 

cousin (father’s brothers’ sons, older than oneself)
23 tangge
tánggē
堂哥

cousin (father’s brothers’ daughters, older than oneself)
25 tangjie
tángjiě
堂姐

cousin (father’s brothers’ sons, younger than oneself)
24 tangdi
tángdì
堂弟

cousin (father’s brothers’ daughters, younger than oneself)
26 tangmei
tángmèi
堂妹

cousin (father’s sisters’ sons, older than oneself)
27 biaoge
biǎogē
表哥

cousin (father’s sisters’ daughters, older than oneself)
28 biaojie
biǎojiě
表姐

cousin (father’s sisters’ sons, younger than oneself)
29 biaodi
biǎodì
表弟

cousin (father’s sisters’ daughters, younger than oneself)
30 biaomei
biǎomèi
表妹

 maternal 

cousin (mother’s siblings’ sons, older than oneself)
27 biaoge
biǎogē
表哥

cousin (mother’s siblings’ daughters, older than oneself)
28 biaojie
biǎojiě
表姐

cousin (mother’s siblings’ sons, younger than oneself)
29 biaodi
biǎodì
表弟

cousin (mother’s siblings’ daughters, younger than oneself)
30 biaomei
biǎomèi
表妹

Wanna know more about Chinese family relationship terms? What’s an easy way to know the right form of address to the so many different types of cousins? Find out in the write-up here!

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