I have a sister about your age. (literally -- I have a tied with you about the same age sister. He2 means 'tied' or 'tied with')
我 有 一 个 和 你 差 不 多 大 的 姐 姐 。
Wo3 you3 yi2 ge4 he2 ni3 cha4buduo1 da4 de jie3jie.
ancestor, ancestry, forefathers, forebears
祖 宗
zu3zong1
祖 先
zu3xian1
Uncle Cao went to the university auditorium to hear a lecture on computers.
曹 叔 叔 去 学 校 礼 堂 听 一 个 计 算 机 报 告 。
Cao2 Shu1shu qu4 xue2xiao4 li3tang2 ting1 yi2 ge4 ji4suan4ji1 bao4gao4.
aunt (honorary title)
大 婶
da4 shen3
aunt
大 娘
da4niang2
aunt, wife of mother's brother
舅 母
jiu4mu3
aunt, father's sister (oral, colloquial)
姑 姑
gu1gu
aunt, father's sister
姑 妈
gu1ma
maternal aunt, mother's sister
姨 妈
yi2ma1
auntie (this is used for adult strangers or friends of the family -- either as a name or a title. If used as a title, it follows the full name, e.g. Song Mei ai1yi2.)
阿 姨
a1yi2
In China you can call an older woman aunt.
在 中 国 你 可 以 叫 一 个 老 妇 人 大 娘 。
Zai4 Zhong1guo2 ni3 ke3yi3 jiao4 yi2 ge4 lao3 fu4ren2 da4niang2.
舅 妈
jiu4ma
aunt, mother's sister
姨
yi2
aunt, maternal aunt
姨 母
yi2mu3
Maomao was hiding behind the door so she could jump out and scare her brother. (Mao2mao can either be a girl's or boy's name -- often used as a "child name" -- a nickname quite different from their given name used until high school within the family.)
为 了 跳 出 来 吓 唬 哥 哥 ， 毛 毛 藏 到 了 门 后 。
Wei4le tiao4 chu1lai2 xia4hu4 ge1ge, Mao2mao cang2 dao4 le men2 hou4.
The anchorman who is broadcasting the news is my cousin. (this is an older cousin)
正 在 播 新 闻 的 那 个 播 音 员 是 我 表 哥 。
Zheng4zai4 bo1 xin1wen2 de na4ge bo1yin1yuan2 shi4 wo3 biao3ge1.
uncle, mother's brother (oral -- this is used as a name to call your maternal uncle)
舅 舅
jiu4jiu
one younger brother (measure word to indicate the general -- informal)
一 个 弟 弟
yi2 ge4 di4di
Both my younger and older brothers are fine. (literally - (My) older brother, younger brother, both are well.)
哥 哥 ， 弟 弟 ， 都 很 好 。
Ge1ge, di4di, dou1 hen3 hao3.
younger brother
弟 弟
di4di
elder brother
哥 哥
ge1ge
one older brother (includes the measure word to indicate the general -- or use it informally.)
一 个 哥 哥
yi2 ge4 ge1ge
brother-in-law married to elder sister
姐 夫
jie3fu1
brother-in-law married to younger sister
妹 夫
mei4fu1
younger brother: can use it as nickname for man younger than yourself (oral usage for younger brother -- see di4di 弟 弟 )
兄 弟
xiong1di4
brothers (where di4 is younger and xiong1 means older -- this form is often used in Christian churches [brethren] but the more common form is xiong1di4 to speak of older and younger brothers at the same time)
弟 兄
di4xiong1
older female cousin on your mother's side
表 姐
biao3jie3
cousin, your father's brother's male child who is younger than you (see biao3ge1, biao3di4, biao3mei4, biao3jie3 for the children of your mother's brothers or sister or your father's sisters)
堂 弟
tang2di4
older male cousin who has a different last name (can be a cousin on your mother's side-- children of either her brother or sister; or your father's sister's child -- see tang2ge1 or tang2di4 for you cousins who are the children of your father's brother.)
表 哥
biao3ge1
cousin, your father's brother's female child who is older than you
堂 姐
tang2jie3
cousin, your father's brother's female child who is younger than you
堂 妹
tang2mei4
cousin, your father's brother's male child who is older than you (see biao3ge1, biao3di4, biao3mei4, biao3jie3 for the children of your mother's brothers or sister or your father's sisters)
堂 哥
tang2ge1
daughter
女 孩 儿
nu~3hai2r
女 儿
nu~3'er2
daughter-in-law, your son's wife (also 儿 媳 妇 er2xi2fu4)
儿 妇
er2fu4
daughter-in-law, your son's wife
媳 妇
xi2fu4
daughter-in-law
儿 媳
er2xi2
This dish was made by my little brother.
这 道 菜 是 我 小 弟 弟 做 的 。
Zhe4 dao4 cai4 shi4 wo3 xiao3 di4di zuo4 de.
My father's a doctor.
我 的 父 亲 是 医 生 。
Wo3 de fu4qin1 shi4 yi1sheng1.
My older brother's an engineer.
我 哥 哥 是 工 程 师 。
Wo3 ge1ge shi4 gong1cheng2shi1.
genealogy
系 谱
xi4pu3
family, clan
家 族
jia1zu2
family tree
系 谱 图
xi4pu3tu2
great-great-grandfather (paternal)
高 祖 父
gao1zu3fu4
daughter-in-law's father, son-in-law's father (the parents of your daughter-in-law or son-in-law can be called qing4jia in person, but it would be more common to call them by their full name, or full name plus their title - if a teacher = Li3 Yu2 Zheng1 Lao3shi -- the equivalent of using Mr. or Mrs.)
亲 家 公
qing4jia gong1
great-grandfather, paternal great-grandfather
曾 祖 父
zheng1zu3fu4
great-grandfather
太 公
tai4gong1
great-grandfather, maternal great-grandfather
曾 外 祖 父
zheng1wai4zu3fu4
曾 祖
zeng1zu3
Grandmother asked me, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
奶 奶 问 我 ： “ 你 有 对 象 了 吗 ？ ”
Nai3nai wen4 wo3; "Ni3 you3 dui4xiang4 le ma?"
godfather
教 父
jiao4fu4
granddaughter by daughter
外 孙 女 儿
wai4sun1nu~3'er2
granddaughter by son
孙 女 儿
sun1nu~3'er2
granddaughter, son's daughter
孙 女
sun1nu~3
grandfather
祖 父
zu3fu4
maternal grandfather (this is the general term -- it is not used as a form of address -- Children in north China call their maternal grandfather 姥 爷 lao3ye, and children in south China call him 外 公 wai4gong1)
外 祖 父
wai4zu3fu4
maternal grandfather (children in south China call their maternal grandfather wai4gong1 外 公 , but see lao3ye 姥 爷 for the term used in the north of China)
外 公
wai4gong1
maternal grandfather, grandpapa, granddad (children in north China call their maternal grandfather 姥 爷, but see wai4gong1 外 公 for the term used in the south of China)
姥 爷
lao3ye
maternal grandmother (this is the general term - it is not used as a form of address - Children in north China call their maternal grandmother 姥 姥╨ao3lao, and children in south China call her 外 婆 wai4po2)
外 祖 母
wai4zu3mu3
maternal grandmother (Children in north China call their maternal grandmother 姥 姥� lao3lao, and children in south China call her 外 婆 wai4po2)
姥 姥
lao3lao
maternal grandmother (Children in south China call their maternal grandmother 外 婆 wai4po2, and children in north China call her 姥 姥� lao3lao)
外 婆
wai4po2
grandpa, paternal grandfather (This is what a child would use as a form of address -- the relationship is that of zu3fu4 祖 父 )
爷 爷
ye2ye
Are any of your grandparents still living?
你 的 爷 爷 奶 奶 姥 姥 姥 爷 还 在 吗 ？
Ni3 de ye2ye2 nai3nai3 lao3lao lao3ye hai2 zai4 ma?
grandparent on mother's side
外 祖 父 母
wai4zu3fu4mu3
grandparent on father's side
祖 父 母
zu3fu4mu3
great great grandson
玄 孙
xuan2sun1
grandson by daughter
外 孙
wai4sun1
grandson by son
孙 子
sun1zi
My husband, my man, my lover, my spouse, my spouse: all describe the man I married.
我 丈 夫 ， 我 先 生 ， 我 爱 人 ， 我 那 位 ， 我 那 口 子 ， 都 是 指 丈 夫 。
Wo3 zhang4fu, wo3 xian1sheng, wo3 ai4ren, wo3 na4wei4, wo3 na4kou3zi dou1 shi4 zhi3 zhang4fu.
in-laws
对 方 父 母
dui4fang1 fu4mu3
great-grandmother, maternal great-grandmother
曾 外 祖 母
zeng1wai4zu3mu3
daughter-in-law's mother, son-in-law's mother (the parents of your daughter-in-law or son-in-law can be called qing4jia in person, but it would be more common to call them by their full name, or full name plus their title - if a teacher = Li3 Yu2 Zheng1 Lao3shi -- the equivalent of using Mr. or Mrs.)
亲 家 母
qing4jia mu3
great-great-grandmother
高 祖 母
gao1zu3mu3
great-grandmother
太 婆
tai4po2
great-grandmother, paternal great-grandmother
曾 祖 母
zeng1zu3mu3
mother-in-law (this would be the wife's mother, the husband's mother-in-law -- very oral)
丈 母 娘
zhang4mu3niang2
mother-in-law (this would be the husband's mother, the wife's mother-in-law -- standard term)
婆 婆
po2po2
Getting along with your mother-in-law can be a challenge.
和 你 的 婆 婆 相 处 是 个 挑 战 。
He2 ni3 de po2po2 xiang1chu3 shi4 ge4 tiao3zhan4.
mother-in-law (this would be the wife's mother, the husband's mother-in-law -- standard term)
岳 母
yue4mu3
nephew, brother's son
侄 子
zhi2zi
nephew, sister's son
外 甥
wai4sheng1
niece, brother's daughter
侄 女
zhi2nu~3
niece, sister's daughter
外 甥 女
wai4sheng1nu~3
no direct relationship, not related (family) (refers to people who are married to in-laws or cousins who are "in" the family, but not really related)
非 直 接 亲 属
fei1 zhi2 jie1 qin1shu3
To have more time to skateboard, my grandfather retired.
为 了 有 更 多 时 间 滑 滑 板 ， 我 爷 爷 退 休 了 。
Wei4le you3 geng4duo1 shi2jian1 hua2 hua2ban3, wo3 ye2ye tui4xiu1 le.
My grandfather retired to have more time to skateboard. (The Chinese sentence uses li3 -- a Chinese mile -- 1/3 of an English mile)
我 爷 爷 为 了 有 更 多 时 间 滑 滑 板 他 退 休 了 。
Wo3 ye2ye wei4le you3 geng4duo1 shi2jian1 hua2 hua2ban3 ta1 tui4xiu1 le.
single (not married)
单 身
dan1shen1
I have two older and two younger sisters.
我 有 两 个 姐 姐 和 两 个 妹 妹 。
Wo3 you3 liang3 ge4 jie3jie he2 liang3 ge4 mei4mei.
sister-in-law, older brother's wife, elder sister (used for an older married woman)
大 嫂
da4sao3
sister-in-law married to younger brother (younger brother's wife)
弟 妹
di4mei4
sister-in-law married to elder brother
嫂 嫂
sao3sao
A boy is the son of his mother and father. A girl is the daughter of her mother and father.
男 孩 是 他 妈 妈 爸 爸 的 儿 子 。 女 孩 是 她 妈 妈 爸 爸 的 女 儿 。
Nan2hai2 shi4 ta1 ma1ma ba4ba de er2zi. Nu~3hai2 shi4 ta1 ma1ma ba4ba de nu~3'er2.
son
儿 子
er2zi
stepmother, step-mother
继 母
ji4mu3
My brother goes swimming every day.
我 弟 弟 每 天 去 游 泳 。
Wo3 di4di mei3 tian1 qu4 you2yong3.
My older brother's taller than Dad.
我 的 哥 哥 比 爸 爸 还 高 。
Wo3 de ge1ge bi3 ba4ba hai2 gao1
uncle, father's younger brother
叔 叔
shu1shu
uncle
大 爷
da4ye
child's name for an adult male, term of respect, mister, uncle (In China, children are told to call a man, who is as old as his father, Shu1Shu1.)
Shu1shu
uncle, father's elder brother (this is used as a name to call your father's elder brother)
伯 伯
bo2bo
uncle, husband of mother's sister (this is the general term - it is not used as a form of address - see yi2fu1 姨 夫)
姨 丈
yi2zhang4
uncle, father's younger brother (this is the general term - it is not used as a form of address - see shu1shu 叔 叔)
叔 父
shu1fu4
uncle, father's elder brother (this is the general term - it is not used as a form of address - see bo2bo 伯 伯)
伯 父
bo2fu4
uncle, husband of mother's sister (this is used as a name to call your maternal aunt's husband)
姨 夫
yi2fu
uncle, your mother's brother (literary -- rarely seen even in books -- see jiu4jiu 舅 舅 it is used both to describe the relationship and as a form of address. )
舅 父
jiu4fu4
I have two uncles on my mother's side, one's a teacher, one's a banker. (this was actually written in Chinese by a teenager)
我 有 两 个 舅 舅 ， 一 个 是 老 师 ， 一 个 是 银 行 业 者 。
Wo3 you3 liang3 ge4 jiu4jiu, yi2 ge4 shi4 lao3shi1, yi2 ge4 shi4 yin2hang2ye4zhe3.
This house is his uncle's. (this is the usual way of saying orally that something belongs to someone)
这 栋 房 子 是 他 叔 叔 的 。
Zhe4 dong4 fang2zi shi4 ta1 shu1shu de.
elder paternal uncle, eldest of brothers
伯
bo2
http://hua.umf.maine.edu/Chinese/topics/topics.html Last Update: July 2012 © Marilyn Shea 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012
