How to Address Family Members in Mandarin Chinese
Family relations can reach out over severAl generations and through many extensions. English terms for family members only consider two factors: generation and gender. While in English, there is only one way to say "aunt," for example, there are multiple ways to say "aunt" in Chinese depending on many factors.
Is she your aunt on your mother's or father's side? Is she the eldest sibling? The youngest? Is she an aunt by blood or an in-law? All these questions are considered when figuring out the proper way to address a family member. Therefore, a family member's title is packed with lots of information!
In Chinese culture, it is important to know how to correctly address a family member. Calling a family member by the wrong title can be considered impolite.
This is a list of Mandarin Chinese names of extended family members, and each entry is accompanied by an audio file for pronunciation and listening practice. Note that there are other terms used to address family members within each regional language and dialect.
01
of 14
Zǔ Fù
English: Paternal Grandfather, or father's father
Pinyin: zǔfù
Chinese: 祖父
Audio Pronunciation
02
of 14
Zǔ Mǔ
English: Paternal Grandmother, or father's mother
Pinyin: zǔmǔ
Chinese: 祖母
Audio Pronunciation
03
of 14
Wài Gōng
English: Maternal Grandfather, or mother's father
Pinyin: wài gōng
Chinese: 外公
Audio Pronunciation
04
of 14
Wài Pó
English: Maternal Grandmother, or mother's mother
Pinyin: wài pó
Chinese: 外婆
Audio Pronunciation
05
of 14
Bó Fù
English: Uncle, specifically father's older brother
Pinyin: bó fù
Chinese: 伯父
Audio Pronunciation
06
of 14
Bó Mǔ
English: Aunt, specifically father's older brother's wife
Pinyin: bó mǔ
Chinese: 伯母
Audio Pronunciation
07
of 14
Shū Fù
English: Uncle, specifically father's younger brother
Pinyin: shū fù
Chinese: 叔父
Audio Pronunciation
08
of 14
Shěn Shěn
English: Aunt, specifically father's younger brother's wife
Pinyin: shěn shěn
Traditional Chinese: 嬸嬸
Simplified Chinese: 婶婶
Audio Pronunciation
09
of 14
Jiù Jiu
English: Uncle, specifically mother's older or younger brother
Pinyin: jiù jiu
Chinese: 舅舅
Audio Pronunciation
10
of 14
Jiù Mā
English: Aunt, specifically mother's brother's wife
Pinyin: jiù mā
Traditional Chinese: 舅媽
Simplified Chinese: 舅妈
Audio Pronunciation
11
of 14
Āyí
English: Aunt, specifically mother's younger sister
Pinyin: āyí
Chinese: 阿姨
Audio Pronunciation
12
of 14
Yí Zhàng
English: Uncle, specifically mother's sister's husband
Pinyin: yí zhàng
Chinese: 姨丈
Audio Pronunciation
13
of 14
Gū Mā
English: Aunt, specifically father's sister
Pinyin: gū mā
Traditional Chinese: 姑媽
Simplified Chinese: 姑妈
Audio Pronunciation
14
of 14
Gū Zhàng
English: Uncle, specifically father's sister's husband
Pinyin: gū zhàng
Chinese: 姑丈
