For Chinese What Is the Meaning of Family for Them

Almost everyone holds a special identify in their heart for families. A family is those you're bound with from birth, the ones who volition always be there for you lot unconditionally. When we first meet someone, we like to exist familiar with their family background. Knowing this provides valuable information on that person'due south upbringing, which could shape their personality dramatically. Thus, it's important to learn how to talk about your family in Chinese.

In Mainland china, family has great importance. 孝顺 (xiào shùn), which means being responsible and obedient to parents, is 1 of the best qualities a person can have. While reading this article, keep in mind that the Chinese view of parent-child relationships differs in some ways from that of Western countries.

Now permit's get correct into today'due south run a risk!

Table of Contents

1. Family Perceptions in Cathay
2. Family unit Fellow member Terms and Other Basics
3. Terms for Relatives
4. Family Fellow member Terms as a Married Person
5. Endearment Terms
6. Bonus – Interesting Expressions well-nigh Family Members
7. Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Tin Assistance You lot Chief Family unit Terms

1. Family unit Perceptions in People's republic of china

The family institution in Mainland china is incredibly stiff. China highly values family bonds, particularly parent-kid relationships. When it comes to family in the Chinese culture, at that place are even traditions that say children should never travel far, and should always stay with their parents.

Even now, many men still alive with their parents even afterwards their marriage. In this example, the adult female volition have to move to the man'south house and live with his parents. This sometimes creates an unpleasant relationship between the wife and her mother-in-law, which is a state of affairs you can see used as a stereotype in a wide variety of Chinese shows.

There are many different ways to name family unit members depending on your relationship to them. Age deviation is the chief factor in determining what to call a family unit member, since Chinese people heavily emphasize that youngsters should respect their elders.

One thing to keep in mind: Unlike in Western culture, information technology'southward non respectful to directly phone call elders by their names. This matter will be introduced more thoroughly afterward in this article.

2. Family Fellow member Terms and Other Nuts

Here are some Chinese words for family members to expand your family in Chinese vocabulary! With just these bones words and phrases, yous have a great place to start a simple conversation about family.

• In Chinese: 家人
  Pinyin: jiā rén
  In English: family

  In Chinese: 我的家庭很幸福。
  Pinyin: Wǒ de jiā tíng hěn xìng fú.
  In English: I accept a happy family.

  In Chinese: 我是在单亲家庭中长大的。
  Pinyin: Wǒ shì zài dān qīn jiā tíng zhōng zhǎng dà de.
  In English: I grew up in a single-parent family unit.

• In Chinese: 母亲
  Pinyin: mǔ qīn
  In English: mother
• In Chinese: 父亲
  Pinyin: fù qīn
  In English language: male parent
• In Chinese: 妈妈
  Pinyin: mā ma
  In English: mom
• In Chinese: 爸爸
  Pinyin: bà ba
  In English: dad
• In Chinese: 姐姐 / 妹妹
  Pinyin: jiě jie / mèi mei
  In English: (older) sister / (younger) sister

  In Chinese: 我有个[姐姐].
  Pinyin: Wǒ yǒu gè [jiě jie].
  In English: I have a(north) [older sister].

• In Chinese: 哥哥/弟弟
  Pinyin: gē ge /dì di
  In English: (older) brother / (younger) blood brother
• In Chinese: 兄弟姐妹
  Pinyin: xiōng dì jiě mèi
  In English language: sibling

Fun fact: The interesting thing near siblings in Chinese is that older and younger siblings have different terms, whereas English language does not.

• In Chinese: 姥爷 / 爷爷 / 祖父
  Pinyin: lǎo yé / yé ye / zǔ fù
  In English: (mother's side) grandad / (father'south side) grandad / grandfather
• In Chinese: 姥姥 / 奶奶 / 祖母
  Pinyin: lǎo lao / nǎi nai / zǔ mǔ
  In English: (mother's side) grandmother / (male parent's side) grandmother / grandmother
• In Chinese: 父母 / 家长
  Pinyin: fù mǔ / jiā zhǎng
  In English: parents

Fun fact: The literal meaning of 家长 is the family'south leader.

• In Chinese: 祖父母
  Pinyin: zǔ fù mǔ
  In English language: grandparents
• In Chinese: 曾祖母
  Pinyin: zēng zǔ mǔ
  In English language: nifty grandmother
• In Chinese: 曾祖父
  Pinyin: zēng zǔ fù
  In English language: bully grandfather

three. Terms for Relatives

Who tin say having a large family unit isn't fun?

Now, permit's work our way around the Chinese family tree, so that you'll never struggle to discover the right word for a family fellow member!

• In Chinese: 亲戚/亲属
  Pinyin: qīn qi / qīn shǔ
  In English: relative

Fun fact: There'due south a fun Chinese term chosen 走亲戚 (zǒu qīn qi), which literally means "walk through relatives." This is a tradition that Chinese people normally have during Chinese New Year, which is as well known equally the Spring Festival. Information technology'south a vacation where families spend fourth dimension together and catch upwardly, merely like Christmas in Western cultures. If some families can't make the reunion, you lot'll need to 走亲戚, to visit them at their place and spend some quality fourth dimension. This shows that the Chinese extended family is only as important as the Chinese firsthand family.

• In Chinese: 叔叔
  Pinyin: shū shu
  In English: uncle
• In Chinese: 阿姨
  Pinyin: ā yí
  In English: aunt

Fun fact: In English, youngsters can usually call their elders who have no relations Mr. or Ms. and such, and sometimes if an elder is close plenty, they can fifty-fifty straight call them past their names. This is quite different in China.

The immature generation have to call adults who are older a sure term depending on the historic period departure. Usually, you can call people who are 10 to twenty years older "aunt" (阿姨) or "uncle" (叔叔). For people who are at a similar historic period equally your grandparents, yous're required to call them "grandmother" (奶奶) or "grandfather" (爷爷).

• In Chinese: 堂兄弟姐妹/表兄弟姐妹
  Pinyin: táng xiōng dì jiě mèi /biǎo xiōng dì jiě mèi
  In English: cousin

Fun fact: Since "cousin" in Chinese is a relatively long give-and-take, Chinese people usually don't use the word "cousin." Instead, they'll apply the terms that can show the direct relation. In that location are eight different terms under the category "cousin," including: 堂兄 (táng xiōng) [male person, father's side, older], 堂弟 (táng dì) [male person, father'due south side, younger], 堂姐 (táng jiě) [female person, father'due south side, older], 堂妹 (táng mèi) [female person, begetter'due south side, younger], 表兄 (biǎo xiōng) [male person, mother'due south side, older], 表弟 (biǎo dì) [male, mother'due south side, younger], 表姐 (biǎo jiě) [female, mother's side, older], 表妹 (biǎo mèi) [female, female parent's side, younger].

• In Chinese: 外甥女 / 侄女
  Pinyin: wài shēng nǚ / zhí nǚ
  In English: niece
• In Chinese: 侄子 / 外甥
  Pinyin: zhí zi / wài shēng
  In English: nephew

4. Family Member Terms as a Married Person

Once you've married in Chinese culture, you've gained several new Chinese family members. Here's what to telephone call them all!

• In Chinese: 妻子
  Pinyin: qī zǐ
  In English language: wife
• In Chinese: 丈夫 / 先生
  Pinyin: zhàng fū / xiān shēng
  In English: husband

I believe we all desire a happy family!

• In Chinese: 女儿
  Pinyin: nǚ ér
  In English: girl
• In Chinese: 儿子
  Pinyin: ér zi
  In English: son
• In Chinese: 姐夫 / 妹夫
  Pinyin: jiě fū / mèi fū
  In English: brother-in-law
• In Chinese: 嫂子 / 弟妹
  Pinyin: sǎo zi / dì mèi
  In English: (older brother's side) sister-in-law / (younger brother's side) sister-in-police force
• In Chinese: 婆婆 / 岳母
  Pinyin: pó po / yuè mǔ
  In English: mother in law (husband's mother) / mother in law (married woman's mother)
• In Chinese: 公公 / 岳父
  Pinyin: gōng gong / yuè fù
  In English: father-in-law (husband'due south father) / father-in-police force (wife'south father)

Fun fact: In Chinese civilization, if y'all're on good terms with your begetter-in-constabulary and mother-in-constabulary, and you experience comfy, information technology will exist adept to phone call them "mom" or "dad," just like your wife/married man does. This shows that you run into them as your own mother or father. However, in many cases, it tin can exist hard to get along with your father-in-constabulary or mother-in-law.

5. Endearment Terms

Allow'due south use more endearment terms to call the ones you love!

• In Chinese: 爹地 / 爸爸 / 老爸
  Pinyin: diē dì / bà ba / lǎo bà
  In English: daddy
• In Chinese: 妈咪 / 妈妈 / 老妈
  Pinyin: mā mī / mā ma / lǎo mā
  In English: mommy
• In Chinese: 老哥 / 老弟
  Pinyin: lǎo gē / lǎo dì
  In English: (older) brother / (younger) brother
• In Chinese: 老姐 / 老妹
  Pinyin: lǎo jiě / lǎo mèi
  In English: (older) sister / (younger) sister
• In Chinese: 老婆 / 媳妇
  Pinyin: lǎo pó / xí fù
  In English: wife
• In Chinese: 老公
  Pinyin: lǎo gōng
  In English: husband

Fun fact: 老 means "old" in Chinese, which is a very mutual thing to phone call someone who is close to yous in Chinese. If you find, lots of the nicknames mentioned above begin with a 老. In this case, 婆 and 公 each means "one-time women" and "onetime men." By calling your other half this, it shows your commitment that you want to grow former with each other.

• In Chinese: 亲爱的
  Pinyin: qīn ài de
  In English: dear
• In Chinese: 宝贝
  Pinyin: bǎo bèi
  In English: infant
• In Chinese: 闺女
  Pinyin: guī nǚ
  In English: daughter

6. Bonus – Interesting Expressions about Family Members

• In Chinese: 虎毒不食子。
  Pinyin: Hǔ dú bú shí zǐ.
  In English: Even a vicious tiger won't eat its ain son.
  Bodily meaning: Parents will always treat their ain children kindly, no matter how evil their nature is.
• In Chinese: 有其父必有其子。
  Pinyin: Yǒu qí fù bì yǒu qí zǐ.
  In English language: Like male parent, like son.
  Bodily significant: A son's character is very likely to resemble his father's.
• In Chinese: 不听老人言，吃亏在眼前。
  Pinyin: Bù tīng lǎo rén yán, chī kuī zài yǎn qián.
  In English: If you don't listen to elders' advice, you lot will learn your lesson.

7. Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Chief Family unit Terms

I hope yous're at present more fascinated with the unique Chinese culture subsequently reading this article about Chinese family. Proceed to binge on learning the most native and entertaining Chinese lessons at ChineseClass101.com; here, Chinese is no longer an excruciating language that's hard to principal. It'southward a paradise where y'all tin can enjoy yourself even while studying!

Before you lot go, let usa know in the comments how confident you experience naming your family unit members in Chinese now! And tell us common sayings or idioms about family in your ain language while you're at it! 😉 We look forward to hearing from you!

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Source: https://www.chineseclass101.com/blog/2019/12/06/chinese-family-words/

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