Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

titles

22.3

22.2.2 kinship terms for extended family

Paternal Maternal

祖父 zǔfù (fml) grandfather 外公 wàigōng (fml) grandfather

爷爷/爺爺 yéye (inf ) (father’s father) 公公 gōnggōng (inf ) (mother’s father)

祖母 zǔmǔ (fml) grandmother 外婆 wàipó (fml) grandmother

奶奶 nǎinai (inf ) (father’s mother) 姥姥 lǎolǎo (inf ) (mother’s mother)

叔叔 shūshu uncle 舅舅 jiùjiu uncle

(on father’s side) (on mother’s side)

姑姑 gūgu aunt 阿姨 āyí aunt

(on father’s side) (on mother’s side)

堂哥 tánggē male cousin 表哥 biǎogē male cousin

older than self older than self

堂弟 tángdì male cousin 表弟 biǎodì male cousin

younger than self younger than self

堂姐 tángjiě female cousin 表姐 biǎojiě female cousin

older than self older than self

堂妹 tángmèi female cousin 表妹 biǎomèi female cousin

younger than self younger than self

公公 gōnggong father-in-law

(husband’s father)

岳父 yuèfù father-in-law

(wife’s father)

婆婆 pópo mother-in-law 岳母 yuèmǔ mother-in-law

(husband’s mother) (wife’s mother)

fml = formal term, inf = informal term

22.3 Titles

Titles refer to gender and marital status, education, or occupation. When a name includes

a title, the order of information is as follows:

family name (+ given name) + title

王 莉花 博士

Wáng Lìhuā bóshì

Ph.D. (Dr.)

Dr. Wang Lihua

Chinese people often use titles when addressing others or when talking about others. Titles may

be used alone or with the family name and given name.

Note In taiwan, the title generally follows the family name: family name + title + given name.

22.3.1 titles that indicate gender and marital status

The most common titles used to reflect gender and marital status are:

先生 王先生

xiānsheng Wáng xiānsheng

Mr. Mr. Wang

太太 王太太

tàitai Wáng tàitai

夫人 王夫人

fūren Wáng fūren

Mrs. Mrs. Wang