{"id":3834,"date":"2013-07-07T15:59:21","date_gmt":"2013-07-07T07:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/?p=3834"},"modified":"2015-05-21T21:23:39","modified_gmt":"2015-05-21T13:23:39","slug":"chinese-family-relationship-terms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/en\/chinese-family-relationship-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Family Relationship Terms"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\nFamily ties are of great importance to the Chinese, and huge emphasis is given to terms of family members, including relatives. However distant a relative may be, you can be almost sure that there is some specific name for him or her. That is, from your perspective, that relative is not just an \u2018uncle\u2019 or \u2018aunt\u2019, nor just a \u2018cousin\u2019.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it can be said that \u201c\u8f29\u5206\u201d (b\u00e8ifen) which means something like seniority or status in the family, is the core of the family system. This is not confined to just the nuclear family, but also to the whole extended family, which of course can be absolutely gigantic. Everybody has a \u2018status\u2019 in their family, and the designation gives a \u2018direction\u2019 as to how one acts with respect to the other person.<\/p>\n

That names of relatives can be so specifically designated might seem mind boggling, but this can be simplified into 3 components. First, the name tells us the gender of the relative. Second, it defines whether the relative is higher or lower than you in the family hierarchy. Third, it reveals whether the relative is from the father\u2019s side or from the mother\u2019s side. (If you scrutinize the examples below, you will realize that strictly speaking this is not the case all the time, but for simplicity\u2019s sake let\u2019s put it this way.)<\/p>\n

Alright, so here\u2019s a list of the most common family terms.<\/p>\n

Nuclear Family<\/strong><\/h3>\n[ezcol_1half]\n

father<\/strong>
\n01 baba<\/a>
\nb\u00e0ba
\n\u7238\u7238<\/p>\n

older brother<\/strong>
\n03 gege<\/a>
\ng\u0113ge
\n\u54e5\u54e5<\/p>\n

younger brother<\/strong>
\n05 didi<\/a>
\nd\u00ecdi
\n\u5f1f\u5f1f<\/p>\n[\/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]\n

mother<\/strong>
\n02 mama<\/a>
\nm\u0101ma
\n\u5988\u5988<\/p>\n

older sister<\/strong>
\n04 jiejie<\/a>
\nji\u011bjie
\n\u59d0\u59d0<\/p>\n

younger sister<\/strong>
\n06 meimei<\/a>
\nm\u00e8imei
\n\u59b9\u59b9<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n[\/ezcol_1half_end]\n

Grandparents<\/strong><\/h3>\n[ezcol_1half]\n paternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

grandfather<\/strong>
\n07 yeye<\/a>
\ny\u00e9ye
\n\u7237\u7237\/
\n08 gonggong<\/a>
\ng\u014dngg\u014dng
\n\u516c\u516c\/
\n09 agong<\/a>
\n\u0101g\u014dng
\n\u963f\u516c<\/p>\n

grandmother<\/strong>
\n10 nainai<\/a>
\nn\u01ceinai
\n\u5976\u5976\/
\n11 popo<\/a>
\np\u00f3p\u00f3
\n\u5a46\u5a46\/
\n12 ama<\/a>
\n\u0101m\u00e0
\n\u963f\u5af2<\/p>\n[\/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]\n maternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

grandfather<\/strong>
\n13 laoye<\/a>
\nl\u01ceoye
\n\u8001\u7237\/
\n14 waigong<\/a>
\nw\u00e0ig\u014dng
\n\u5916\u516c<\/p>\n

grandmother<\/strong>
\n15 laolao<\/a>
\nl\u01ceolao
\n\u59e5\u59e5\/
\n16 waipo<\/a>
\nw\u00e0ip\u00f3
\n\u5916\u5a46<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n[\/ezcol_1half_end]\n

Uncles\/ Aunts<\/strong><\/h3>\n[ezcol_1half]\n paternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

uncle (father\u2019s older brothers)<\/strong>
\n17 bobo<\/a>
\nb\u00f3bo
\n\u4f2f\u4f2f<\/p>\n

uncle (father\u2019s younger brothers)<\/strong>
\n18 shushu<\/a>
\nsh\u016bshu
\n\u53d4\u53d4<\/p>\n

aunt (father\u2019s sisters)<\/strong>
\n19 gugu<\/a>
\ng\u016bgu
\n\u59d1\u59d1<\/p>\n[\/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]\n maternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

uncle (mother\u2019s brothers)<\/strong>
\n20 jiujiu<\/a>
\nji\u00f9jiu
\n\u8205\u8205<\/p>\n

aunt (mother\u2019s sisters)<\/strong>
\n21 yima<\/a>
\ny\u00edm\u0101
\n\u59e8\u5988\/
\n22 ayi<\/a>
\n\u0101y\u00ed
\n\u963f\u59e8<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n[\/ezcol_1half_end]\n

Cousins<\/strong><\/h3>\n[ezcol_1half]\n paternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

cousin (father\u2019s brothers\u2019 sons, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n23 tangge<\/a>
\nt\u00e1ngg\u0113
\n\u5802\u54e5<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s brothers\u2019 daughters, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n25 tangjie<\/a>
\nt\u00e1ngji\u011b
\n\u5802\u59d0<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s brothers\u2019 sons, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n24 tangdi<\/a>
\nt\u00e1ngd\u00ec
\n\u5802\u5f1f<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s brothers\u2019 daughters, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n26 tangmei<\/a>
\nt\u00e1ngm\u00e8i
\n\u5802\u59b9<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s sisters\u2019 sons, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n27 biaoge<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceog\u0113
\n\u8868\u54e5<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s sisters\u2019 daughters, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n28 biaojie<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceoji\u011b
\n\u8868\u59d0<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s sisters\u2019 sons, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n29 biaodi<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceod\u00ec
\n\u8868\u5f1f<\/p>\n

cousin (father\u2019s sisters\u2019 daughters, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n30 biaomei<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceom\u00e8i
\n\u8868\u59b9<\/p>\n[\/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]\n maternal<\/span> <\/span>\n

cousin (mother\u2019s siblings\u2019 sons, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n27 biaoge<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceog\u0113
\n\u8868\u54e5<\/p>\n

cousin (mother\u2019s siblings\u2019 daughters, older than oneself)<\/strong>
\n28 biaojie<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceoji\u011b
\n\u8868\u59d0<\/p>\n

cousin (mother\u2019s siblings\u2019 sons, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n29 biaodi<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceod\u00ec
\n\u8868\u5f1f<\/p>\n

cousin (mother\u2019s siblings\u2019 daughters, younger than oneself)<\/strong>
\n30 biaomei<\/a>
\nbi\u01ceom\u00e8i
\n\u8868\u59b9<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n[\/ezcol_1half_end]\n

As you can see from the list above, it is almost impossible to correctly translate the English terms \u2018uncle\u2019, \u2018aunt\u2019 or \u2018cousin\u2019 into Chinese.<\/p>\n

Two crucial points to remember are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Cousins can be \u201c\u5802\u201d (t\u00e1ng) or \u201c\u8868\u201d (bi\u01ceo), and this might seem quite confusing at first glance, but differentiating these two apart is pretty straightforward actually \u2013 the surname says it all. Cousins from the mother\u2019s side will have different surnames from you, so they all are classified under \u201c\u8868\u201d. (Of course, by some stroke of fate your mother\u2019s sister\u2019s husband might have the same surname as your father, but that\u2019s pure coincidence, so the offspring of their children will still be \u201c\u8868\u201d.) On the father\u2019s side, things can get a little tricky. Your father\u2019s brothers\u2019<\/em> kids all share the same surname as you, so they are all \u201c\u5802\u201d. On the other hand, your father\u2019s sisters<\/em> have different surnames from you (just like your mother\u2019s siblings\u2019 kids), so they all become \u201c\u8868\u201d.<\/li>\n
  2. When there are two or more relatives of a similar relationship, they are marked with \u201c\u5927\u201d (d\u00e0: big, first), \u201c\u4e8c\u201d (\u00e8r: two, second), \u201c\u4e09\u201d(s\u0101n: three, third) to indicate their seniority. For example, \u201c\u5927\u54e5\u201d (d\u00e0g\u0113: big brother), \u201c\u4e8c\u54e5\u201d (\u00e8rg\u0113: second brother), \u201c\u4e09\u54e5\u201d (s\u0101ng\u0113: third brother).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It is a pity though that, because of the one child policy in China today, Chinese people in future will most probably be far from familiar with these terms. There also seems to be a decline in appreciation for such terms even among those Chinese with many relatives, for example, in countries like Singapore where there is strong Western influence. For some, it seems that not only is it much simpler without any term designation, it also signifies in some sense greater equality. Personally, these terms evoke in me a strong sense of kinship, and to me it is definitely more endearing to call my elder sister \u201c\u5927\u59d0\u201d (d\u00e0ji\u011b: big sister) , and to be called \u201c\u4e8c\u59d0\u201d (\u00e8rji\u011b: second sister) by my younger siblings.<\/p>\n

    What do you think? Do share your thoughts from a foreigner\u2019s perspective!
    \n

    <\/div>\nIf you’ve enjoyed this, don’t forget to hit one of the sharing buttons below, and do join me on<\/span> Google+<\/span><\/a>\/ Facebook<\/span><\/a>\/\u00a0Youtub<\/span><\/a>e\/\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\/ Pinterest<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Family ties are of great importance to the Chinese, and huge emphasis is given to terms of family members, including relatives. However distant a relative may be, you can be almost sure that there is some specific...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[293,78,82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-culture","category-mandarin"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t