How To Address Family Members In Mandarin During Chinese New Year
Here are the proper names to call your family, and that of your in-laws
Addressing relatives in English is fairly simple: there are aunties and uncles, and for the older generation, grand-aunties and grand-uncles. Translate these into Mandarin, with a different name for each relative based on their relative age to you, and most of us draw a blank. How do we remember the proper names for family members we only meet once a year, if then?
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To avoid an embarassing faux pax when the inevitable moment for greeting arrives, we've compiled a list of the most common family members' names in Mandarin. But first, you'll have to know how you're related to the relative in question; sorry, we can't help you there!
Tai Ye - Your dad's paternal grandfather
Tai Tai - Your dad's paternal grandmother
Ye Ye/Zu Fu - Your paternal grandfather
Nai Nai/Zu Mu - Your paternal grandmother
Bo Bo - Your dad's older brother
Bo Mu - Your dad's older brother's wife
Shu Shu - Your dad's younger brother
Shen Shen - Your dad's younger brother's wife
Gu Gu - Your dad's sister
Gu Fu - Your dad's sister's husband
Tai Lao Ye - Your mum's paternal grandfather
Tai Lao Lao - Your mum's paternal grandmother
Wai Gong - Your maternal grandfather
Wai Po - Your maternal grandmother
Jiu Jiu - Your mum's brother
Jiu Ma - Your mum's brother's wife
A-yi - Your mum's sister
Yi Fu - Your mum's sister's husband
Gong Gong - Your father-in-law
Po Po - Your mother-in-law
Da Bo Zi - Your husband's older brother
Da Bo Sao - Your husband's older brother's wife
Xiao Shu Zi - Your husband's younger brother
Xiao Shen Zi - Your husband's younger brother's wife
Da Gu Zi - Your husband's elder sister
Xiao Gu Zi - Your husband's younger sister
Sao Zi - Your older brother's wife
Di Mei - Your younger brother's wife
Jie Fu - Your older sister's husband
Mei Fu - Your younger sister's husband
Zhi Zi - Your brother's son
Zhi Nv - Your brother's daughter
Wai Sheng - Your sister's son
Wai Sheng Nv - Your sister's daughter