What to call your relatives in Chinese
Chinese has a different word for almost every relative: Dad’s older brother is not Dad’s younger brother, and Mum’s brother is different again. Tap your way to anyone, see the common ones in Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien, then test yourself before the reunion dinner.
The relatives you meet at New Year
What a family in Malaysia or Singapore usually says, in Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien. The formal Mandarin title is given where it differs.
The Cantonese and Hokkien forms are the ones commonly heard here, not taken from a dictionary, and families and districts differ: ask your elders what they like to be called. A blank is a form we have not yet confirmed.
Grandparents
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandpa, Dad’s father | Ye Ye (yé ye, 爷爷) | Yeh Yeh (爷爷) | Ah Kong (阿公) |
| Grandma, Dad’s mother | Nai Nai (nǎi nai, 奶奶) | Ma Ma (嫲嫲) | Ah Ma (阿嬷) |
| Grandpa, Mum’s father | Wai Gong (wài gōng, 外公) | Kung Kung (公公) | Gua Kong (外公) |
| Grandma, Mum’s mother | Wai Po (wài pó, 外婆) | Po Po (婆婆) | Gua Ma (外嬷) |
Dad’s side
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dad’s older brother | Bo Bo (bó bo, 伯伯) formal: Bo Fu (bó fù, 伯父) | Pak Fu (伯父) | Ah Peh (阿伯) |
| his wife | Bo Mu (bó mǔ, 伯母) | Pak Neung (伯娘) | Ah M (阿姆) |
| Dad’s younger brother | Shu Shu (shū shu, 叔叔) | Ah Suk (阿叔) | Ah Chek (阿叔) |
| his wife | Shen Shen (shěn shen, 婶婶) | Ah Sam (阿婶) | Ah Sim (阿婶) |
| Dad’s older sister | Gu Ma (gū mā, 姑妈) formal: Da Gu (dà gū, 大姑) | Ku Ma (姑妈) | Ah Koh (阿姑) |
| Dad’s younger sister | Gu Gu (gū gu, 姑姑) formal: Xiao Gu (xiǎo gū, 小姑) | Ku Je (姑姐) | Ah Koh (阿姑) |
| Dad’s sister’s husband | Gu Zhang (gū zhàng, 姑丈) formal: Da Gu Zhang (dà gū zhàng, 大姑丈) | Ku Cheung (姑丈) | Koh Tiu (姑丈) |
Mum’s side
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mum’s brother | Jiu Jiu (jiù jiu, 舅舅) formal: Da Jiu (dà jiù, 大舅) | Kau Fu (舅父) | Ah Ku (阿舅) |
| his wife | Jiu Ma (jiù mā, 舅妈) formal: Da Jiu Ma (dà jiù mā, 大舅妈) | Kam Mou (妗母) | Ah Kim (阿妗) |
| Mum’s older sister | Yi Ma (yí mā, 姨妈) formal: Da Yi (dà yí, 大姨) | Yi Ma (姨妈) | Ah Ee (阿姨) |
| Mum’s younger sister | A Yi (ā yí, 阿姨) formal: Xiao Yi (xiǎo yí, 小姨) | Ah Yi (阿姨) | Ah Ee (阿姨) |
| Mum’s sister’s husband | Yi Zhang (yí zhàng, 姨丈) formal: Da Yi Zhang (dà yí zhàng, 大姨丈) | Yi Cheung (姨丈) | Ee Tiu (姨丈) |
Brothers and sisters
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Older brother | Ge Ge (gē ge, 哥哥) | Gor Gor (哥哥) | Ah Hia (阿兄) |
| his wife | Sao Sao (sǎo sao, 嫂嫂) formal: Sao Zi (sǎo zi, 嫂子) | Ah Sou (阿嫂) | Ah So (阿嫂) |
| Older sister | Jie Jie (jiě jie, 姐姐) | Ka Je (家姐) | Ah Chee (阿姊) |
| her husband | Jie Fu (jiě fū, 姐夫) | Je Fu (姐夫) | Chee Hu (姊夫) |
| Younger brother | Di Di (dì di, 弟弟) | Sai Lou (细佬) | – |
| Younger sister | Mei Mei (mèi mei, 妹妹) | Sai Mui (细妹) | – |
Cousins
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cousin, Dad’s brother’s son (older than you) | Tang Ge (táng gē, 堂哥) | Tong Gor (堂哥) | – |
| Cousin, Dad’s brother’s daughter (older than you) | Tang Jie (táng jiě, 堂姐) | Tong Je (堂姐) | – |
| Cousin, any other aunt’s or uncle’s son (older than you) | Biao Ge (biǎo gē, 表哥) formal: Gu Biao Ge (gū biǎo gē, 姑表哥) | Piu Gor (表哥) | – |
| Cousin, any other aunt’s or uncle’s daughter (older than you) | Biao Jie (biǎo jiě, 表姐) formal: Gu Biao Jie (gū biǎo jiě, 姑表姐) | Piu Je (表姐) | – |
Your spouse’s parents
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Husband’s father | Gong Gong (gōng gong, 公公) | Lou Yeh (老爷) | Ta Kuann (大官) |
| Husband’s mother | Po Po (pó po, 婆婆) | Nai Nai (奶奶) | Ta Ke (大家) |
| Wife’s father | Yue Fu (yuè fù, 岳父) | Ngoi Fu (外父) | Tiun Lang (丈人) |
| Wife’s mother | Yue Mu (yuè mǔ, 岳母) | Ngoi Mou (外母) | Tiun M (丈姆) |
The next generation
| Who | Mandarin | Cantonese | Hokkien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother’s son | Zhi Zi (zhí zi, 侄子) | Chat Jai (侄仔) | – |
| Sister’s son | Wai Sheng (wài shēng, 外甥) | Ngoi Sang (外甥) | – |
| Son’s son | Sun Zi (sūn zi, 孙子) | Suen Jai (孙仔) | Sun (孙) |
| Daughter’s son | Wai Sun (wài sūn, 外孙) | Ngoi Suen (外孙) | Gua Sun (外孙) |
Can you name them?
Ten relatives, four answers each. Share your score with the family group.
Now paint them: put the whole family on one zodiac scroll as their animals, for the family group.
Titles for any relative are worked out with relationship.js by Haole Zheng (MIT licence); pinyin from pypinyin.