Family Members in Chinese: 50+ Terms & How to Use Them

Grandparents: paternal and maternal are not the same word

English uses “grandfather” and “grandmother,” but Standard Mandarin commonly distinguishes the father’s side from the mother’s side:

• 爷爷 (yéye) father’s father · 奶奶 (nǎinai) father’s mother
• 外公 (wàigōng) mother’s father · 外婆 (wàipó) mother’s mother
• 姥爷 (lǎoye) and 姥姥 (lǎolao) are common northern forms for maternal grandparents.
• 阿公 (āgōng) and 阿嬷 (āmā) are regional forms used in some southern and diaspora communities.

These words are not simply synonyms. They identify the family line in the speaker’s kinship system. If you are writing about a real family, use the term that family uses. If you are learning for general conversation, learn 爷爷/奶奶 and 外公/外婆 first, then recognise regional alternatives.

Aunts, uncles and cousins

Chinese has no single everyday word that covers every English “uncle” or “aunt.” The usual choice depends on whether the relative is on the father’s or mother’s side and whether they are older or younger than the parent.

Cousins also distinguish family side. Children of a father’s brother are usually 堂哥, 堂弟, 堂姐 or 堂妹. Children of the mother’s siblings, or of the father’s sister, are usually 表哥, 表弟, 表姐 or 表妹. The difference is not about how close the family feels; it reflects the traditional paternal line and the character 堂 versus 表. In actual address, people may simply use 哥哥 or 姐姐 for an older cousin.

Spouse, children and in-laws

For a spouse, 丈夫 (zhàngfu, husband) and 妻子 (qīzi, wife) are neutral and formal enough for writing. 老公 (lǎogōng) and 老婆 (lǎopo) are common affectionate or colloquial words, but they may sound too casual in a formal introduction. 爱人 (àiren) can mean spouse in Mainland Mandarin; in some contexts, it can also mean a romantic partner, so context matters.

In-laws are another area where English compresses several relationships into two words. 公公 is a husband’s father, 婆婆 is a husband’s mother, 岳父 is a wife’s father, and 岳母 is a wife’s mother. 女婿 means son-in-law and 儿媳 means daughter-in-law. A sibling’s spouse may be 嫂子, 弟媳, 姐夫 or 妹夫. These terms often function as address forms, so using the correct one can matter more than a literal translation.

How to address someone

With close family, Chinese conversation often uses the kinship term as a form of address rather than the person’s given name. A child may call an older sister 姐姐 rather than her name; an adult may call an aunt 阿姨 or 姑姑 rather than her personal name. The exact choice depends on family custom, age, region and whether the relationship is formal.

For people who are not relatives, 叔叔 and 阿姨 are common polite terms for older adults, especially in service or child-facing situations. They are not universal forms for every older stranger, and some women may prefer another title. In a first conversation, follow the person’s introduction or the local convention rather than imposing a family term.

Formal, informal and affectionate forms

Many family words have several registers. 父亲/母亲 are formal; 爸爸/妈妈 are familiar. 老爸/老妈 can sound affectionate or slightly playful. 宝贝 (bǎobèi) and 亲爱的 (qīn'ài de) are terms of endearment, not general family terms. 兄弟 can mean brothers, close male friends or “brothers” in a group context; 姐妹 can refer to sisters or a close group of women. These extended uses are conversational and should not be used as translations for official records.

Simplified and traditional differences

Some family words are identical in simplified and traditional Chinese, including 爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟, 妹妹, 外公 and 外婆. Others change in writing: 儿子/兒子, 女儿/女兒, 爷爷/爺爺, 妈妈/媽媽 and 爷爷 in traditional is 爺爺. A page or design should choose one system consistently and use the form that matches the audience and region.

Common mistakes to check

• Using 叔叔 for every English “uncle,” including the mother’s brother or father’s older brother.
• Using 弟弟 for an older brother or 妹妹 for an older sister.
• Translating all grandparents as 爷爷/奶奶 without checking which side of the family is meant.
• Mixing 堂 (father’s brother’s children) with 表 (maternal cousins and father’s sister’s children).
• Using 老公/老婆 in a formal or professional introduction.
• Assuming every family uses the same address term; regional and family preferences vary.

Grandma and grandpa in Chinese: there is no single word

Search “grandma in Chinese” and several words come back — 奶奶, 外婆, 姥姥. They are not regional variants of one word. Standard Mandarin separates the father’s side of the family from the mother’s side, and the same split applies to grandfathers.

Formal and written Chinese also uses 祖母 (zǔmǔ, “zoo-moo”, paternal grandmother), 外祖母 (wàizǔmǔ, “wai-zoo-moo”, maternal grandmother) and 曾祖父 (zēngzǔfù, “dzung-zoo-foo”, great-grandfather). These belong in documents, biographies and formal writing rather than in everyday address.

Which word should you use?

• Writing about your own family: use the term that family actually uses. If your family says 阿嬷 (āmā, as in some southern and diaspora communities) or 姥姥, that is the correct word for you.
• Learning general Mandarin: learn 奶奶 and 外公 first — one paternal word and one maternal word — then add 外婆, 姥姥 and 阿嬷.
• Writing to a Chinese-speaking family: do not translate “grandma” mechanically. Identify which side of the family the person belongs to, or follow the form the family already uses.

These terms identify a family line rather than describing a personality, so two grandmothers in the same family normally have two different words. See 家: home and family for the character behind 家人 and 家庭.