In China, there are more complicated titles for family members and relatives than in English-speaking countries. In this article, you are going to learn what to call your family members or relatives in Chinese! You may only use a few of these on a daily basis, but this is a comprehensive list of the titles you may come across while learning Chinese.
Immediate Family
爸爸（bà ba）: dad; 父亲（fù qin）is the formal way to say 爸爸（bà ba）.
妈妈（mā ma）: mum; 母亲（mǔ qīn）is the formal way to say 妈妈（mā ma）.
爷爷（yé ye）: the dad of your dad (your paternal grandfather); 祖父 （zǔ fù）is the formal way to say 爷爷（yé ye).
奶奶 （nǎi nai）: the mum of your dad (your maternal grandmother); 祖母（zǔ mǔ）is the formal way to say 奶奶（nǎi nai).
哥哥 （gē ge）: older brother
弟弟 （dì di）：younger brother
姐姐 （jiě jie）：older sister
妹妹 （mèi mei）: younger sister
Grandparents and Great Grandparents
姥爷 （lǎo ye）: the mum of your dad (your paternal grandmother); 外祖父（wài zǔ fù）is the formal way to say 姥爷（lǎo ye）.
姥姥 （lǎo lao）: the mum of your mum (your maternal grandmother); 外祖母（wài zǔ mǔ）is the formal way to say 姥姥（lǎo lao）.
太爷 （tài yé）: the dad of your paternal grandfather or grandmother (your paternal great-grandfather)
太太（tài tai）：the mum of your paterrnal grandfather or grandmother (your paternal great-grandmother)
太姥爷（tài lǎo ye）：the dad of you maternal grandfather or grandmother (your paternal great-grandfather)
太姥姥（tài lǎo lao）：the mum of your maternal grandfather or grandmother (your maternal great-grandparents)
Paternal Grandparents' Relatives
姑奶奶 （gū nǎi nai）：the sister of your paternal grandfather
姑爷 （gū yé）：the husband of the sister of your paternal grandfather
大爷 （dà yé）：the oldest brother of your paternal grandfather
大奶奶（dà nǎi nai）：the wife of the oldest brother of your paternal grandfather dad’s.
If he is the second oldest, he is called 二爷 （èr yé）, and his wife is called 二奶奶（èr nǎi nai）, and so forth.
姨奶奶（yí nǎi nai）：the sister of your paternal grandmother
姨爷 （yí yé）：the husband of the sister of your paternal grandfather
舅爷 （jiù yé）：the brother of your paternal grandmother
舅奶奶 (jiù nǎi nai）：the wife of the brother of your paternal grandmother
Maternal Grandparents' Relatives
姑姥姥 （gū lǎo lao）: the sister of your maternal grandfather
姨姥姥 （yí lǎo lao）：the sister of your maternal grandmother
姨姥爷 （yí lǎo ye）: the husband of the sister of your maternal grandmother
舅姥爷（jiù lǎo ye）：the brother of your maternal grandmother
舅姥姥 （jiù lǎo lao）: the wife of the brother of your maternal grandmother
Your Father’s Side
伯伯（bó bo）or 大爷（dà ye）: the older brother of your dad
伯母（bó mǔ） or 大娘（dà niáng）：the wife of the older brother of your dad
叔叔 （shū shū）: the younger brother of your dad
婶婶（shěn shen）：the wife of the younger brother of your dad
姑姑（gū gu）： the sister of your dad
姑父（gū fu）：the husband of the sister of your dad
Your Mother’s Side:
舅舅 （jiù jiu）：the brother of your mum
舅妈（jiù mā）: the wife of the brother of your mum
姨 （yí）：the sister of your mum
姨父（yí fu）：the husband of the sister of your mum
表妹夫（biǎo mèi fu）: the husband of the daughter of the sister (or brother) of your mum or of the sister of your dad, if the daughter is younger than you
表姐夫（biǎo jiě fu）：the husband of the daughter of the sister (or brother) of your mum or of the sister of your dad, if the daughter is older than you
Cousins
堂兄（táng xiōng）：the son of the brother of your dad, who is older than you
堂弟（táng dì）：the son of the brother of your dad, who is younger than you
堂姐（táng jiě）：the daughter of the brother of your dad, who is older than you
堂妹（táng mèi）：the daughter of the brother of your dad, who is younger than you
表哥（biǎo gē）：the son of the sister of your dad, or the son of the brother (or sister) of your mum, who is older than you
表弟（biǎo dì）：the son of the sister of your dad, or the son of the brother (or sister) of your mum，who is younger than you
表姐（biǎo jiě）：the daughter of the sister of your dad, or the daughter of the brother (or sister) of your mum, who is older than you
表妹 （biǎo mèi）：the daughter of ther sister of your dad, or the the daughter of the brother (or sister) of your mum, who is younger than you
表嫂（biǎo sǎo）：the wife of the son of the sister of your dad or the wife of the brother (or sister) of your mum
In-laws
嫂子（sǎo zi）：the wife of your older brother
弟妹 （dì mèi）： the wife of your younger brother
姐夫（jiě fu）：the husband of your older sister
妹夫（mèi fu）: the husband of your younger sister
Nephews and Nieces
侄子（zhí zǐ）：the son of your brother
侄女（zhí nǚ）：the daughter of your brother
外甥（wài shēng）：the son of your sister
外甥女（wài sheng nǚ）：the dughter of your sister
Your Husband's Family
公公 （gōng gong）: the father of your husband
婆婆（pó po）: the mother of your husband
大伯子（dà bǎi zi）：the elder brother of your husband
大伯嫂（dà bǎi sǎo）：the wife of the elder brother of your husband
小叔子（xiǎo shū zi）：the younger brother of your husband
小婶子（xiǎo shěn zi）：the wife of the younger brother of your husband
大姑子（dà gū zi）：the husband of your elder sister
小姑子（xiǎo gū zi）：the husband of your younger sister
Your Wife's Family
岳父（yuè fù）or 丈人（zhàng rén）：the father of your wife
岳母（yuè mǔ）or 丈母娘（zhàng mu niáng）：the mother of your wife
大舅子（dà jiù zi）：the elder brother of your wife
大舅嫂（dà jiù sǎo）or 大妗子（dà jìn zi） ：the wife of the elder brother of your wife
小舅子（xiǎo jiù zi）： the wife of your younger brother
小妗子（xiǎo jìn zi） ：the wife of the younger brother of your wife
大姨子（dà yí zi）：the elder sister of your wife
小姨子（xiǎo yí zi）：the younger sister of your wife
You may want to bookmark this page or come back when you come across a “family title” you do not know. Just remember: knowing the exact meaning of the different ways to call family members and relatives will put you one step closer to reading and speaking Chinese like a native!
Image by Jason D' Great (CC BY-ND 2.0)
