How to Use Chinese Characters to Build Younger Extended Chinese Family Structures

This is the continued part of combining Chinese Characters to Build Family Relationship Names . Here you learn how the radicals are built up into compound characters that express different family relationships in Younger Extended Chinese family structure.

1). Extended Chinese Family Tree: Brothers-in-law and Sisters-in-law

嫂【sǎo= older brother’s wife, older sister-in-law】 in which 女【nǚ】is used as a radical describing female.

and

子【zǐ= person】becomes

嫂子【sǎozi= older brother’s wife, older sister-in law, the literal meaning is older brother’s wife person】

弟【dì= younger brother】

and

媳【xí= daughter-in-law】becomes

弟媳【dìxí= younger brother’s wife, younger sister-in-law, the literal meaning is younger brother daughter-in-law】

姐【jiě= older sister】

and

夫【fū= husband, man】becomes

姐夫【jiěfu= older sister’s husband, older brother-in-law, the literal meaning is older sister husband】

妹【mèi= younger sister】

and

夫【fū= husband, man】becomes

妹夫【mèifu= younger sister’s husband, younger brother-in-law, the literal meaning is younger sister husband】

2). Chinese Family Tree: Son-in-law and daughter-in-law

媳【xí= daughter-in-law】

and

妇【fù= woman, wife】becomes

媳妇【xífù= son’s wife, daughter-in-law, the literal meaning is daughter-in-law wife】

女【nǚ=female】

and

婿【xù= son-in-law, husband】becomes

女婿【nǚxu= daughter’s husband, son-in-law, the literal meaning is female son-in-law】

3). Younger Extended Chinese Family Structure: Cousins

堂【táng=(paternal) relationship between cousins】

and

哥【gē= older brother】becomes

堂哥【tánggē= (paternal) older male cousin, the literal meaning is (paternal) relationship between cousins older brother】

堂【táng=(paternal) relationship between cousins】

and

弟【dì= younger brother】 becomes

堂弟 【tángdì= (paternal) younger male cousin, the literal meaning is (paternal) relationship between cousins younger brother】

堂【táng=(paternal) relationship between cousins】

and

姐【jiě= older sister】becomes

堂姐【tángjiě= (paternal) older female cousin, (paternal) relationship between cousins older sister】

堂【táng=(paternal) relationship between cousins】

and

妹【mèi= younger sister】becomes

堂姝【tángmèi= (paternal) younger female cousin, (paternal) relationship between cousins younger sister】

表【biǎo= (maternal) relationship between the cousins】

and

哥【gē= older brother】becomes

表哥【biǎogē= (maternal) older male cousin, the literal meaning is (maternal) relationship between cousins older brother】

表【biǎo= (maternal) relationship between the cousins】

and

弟【dì= younger brother】becomes

表弟【biǎodì= (maternal) younger male cousin, the literal meaning is (maternal) relationship between cousins younger brother】

表【biǎo= (maternal) relationship between the cousins】

and

姐【jiě= older sister】becomes

表姐【biǎojiě= (maternal) older female cousin, the literal meaning is (maternal) relationship between cousins older sister】

表【biǎo= (maternal) relationship between the cousins】

and

妹【mèi= younger sister】becomes

表姝【biǎomèi= (maternal) younger female cousin, the literal meaning is (maternal) relationship between cousins younger sister】

4). Extended Chinese Family Structure: Nephews and Nieces

侄【zhí= brother’s son, nephew】

and

子【zǐ= child, son】becomes

侄子【zhízi= brother’s son, nephew, the literal meaning is brother’s son son】

外【wài= external】

and

甥【shēng= sister’s son, nephew】becomes

外甥【wàisheng= sister’s son, nephew, the literal meaning is external sister’s son】

侄【zhí= brother’s son, nephew】

and

女 【nǚ=female】becomes

侄女【zhínǚ= brother’s daughter, niece, the literal meaning is brother’s son female】

外【wài= external】,

甥【shēng= sister’s son, nephew】

and

女 【nǚ=female】 becomes

外甥女【wàishengnǚ= sister’s daughter, niece, the literal meaning is external sister’s son female】

5). Younger Extended Chinese Family Structure: Nephew’s wife and Niece’s husband

侄【zhí= brother’s son, nephew】,

女 【nǚ=female】

and

婿【xù= son-in-law; husband】becomes

侄女婿【zhínǚxù= husband of brother’s daughter, niece’s husband, the literal meaning is nephew female husband】

侄【zhí= brother’s son, nephew】,

媳【xí= daughter-in-law】

and

妇【fù= woman, wife】

侄媳妇【zhíxífu=wife of brother’s son, nephew’s wife, the literal meaning is nephew daughter-in-law wife】

6). Younger Chinese Family Tree: Grandsons and Granddaughters

孙【sūn= grandson】

and

子【zǐ= child】becomes

孙子【sūnzi= grandson, the literal meaning is grandson child】

外【wài= external】

and

孙【sūn= grandson】 becomes

外孙【wàisūn= daughter’s son, grandson, the literal meaning is external grandson】

孙【sūn= grandson】

and

女 【nǚ=female】becomes

孙女【sūnnǚ= granddaughter, the literal meaning is grandson female】

外【wài= external】,

孙【sūn= grandson】

and

女 【nǚ=female】becomes

外孙女【wàisūnnǚ= daughter’s daughter; granddaughter, the literal meaning is external grandson female】

7). Much Younger Extended Family: Great Grandsons and Great Granddaughters

曾【zēng= relationship between great-grandchildren and great-grandparents】

and

孙【sūn= grandson】 becomes

曾孙【zēngsūn= great-grandson, the literal meaning is relationship between great-grandchildren and great-grandparents grandson】

曾【zēng= relationship between great-grandchildren and great-grandparents】,

孙【sūn= grandson】

and

女 【nǚ=female】becomes

曾孙女【zēngsūnnǚ= great-granddaughter, the literal meaning is relationship between great-grandchildren and great-grandparents grandson female】