Thursday, March 29, 2012

Mandarin: Honorifics

Mother 妈妈 māmā
Father 爸爸 bà ba
Older sister 姐姐 jiejie
Older brother 哥哥 gēgē
Younger brother 弟弟 dìdì
Younger sister 妹妹 mèimei

COUSINS

Older female cousin 堂姐 táng jie
Younger female cousin 堂妹 Táng mèi
Older male cousin 堂哥 Táng gē
Younger male cousin 堂弟 Táng dì

GRANDPARENTS


Mother's Parents
外公 Wàigōng
外婆 Wàipó

Father's Parents
爺爺 Yéye
奶奶 Nǎinai

AUNTS


Mother's Sisters
阿姨   Āyí
大阿姨 Dà āyí (older than your mother)
小阿姨 Xiǎo āyí (younger than your mother)

Father's Sisters
姑姑 Gūgū
大姑姑 Dà gūgū (older than your father)
小姑姑 Xiǎo gūgū (younger than your father)

大姑 Dà gū  (older than your father)
小姑 Xiǎo gū (younger than your father)

UNCLES


Mother's brother
舅舅 Jiùjiu
大舅Dà jiù (older than your mother)
小舅 Xiǎojiù (younger than your mother)

Father's Brothers
伯伯 Bóbo  / 伯父  Bófù

大伯 Dàbó (older than your father)
小伯 Xiǎo bó (younger than your father)
大伯父 Dà bófù
小伯父 Xiǎo bófù 

*叔叔 Shūshu (your father's younger brother)
*not commonly used.

Note: If your mother/father has more brothers, numbers are used.
The oldest son will still be 大__ and the youngest will still be 小__.

Example: 
二伯 Èr bó (second son)
三伯 Sān bó (third son)


STRANGERS 


(same age as your parents)
Uncle 伯父 Bófù 
Aunt 伯母 Bómǔ

(older than you)
Uncle 叔叔 Shūshu 
Aunt 阿姨 Āyí 

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