Family and Friends: Describing Relationships
Build your Chinese vocabulary for the people in your life. Learn the characters for your family and friends, including the different words for older and younger brothers and sisters.
Practise it before the paper, not after
Free, interactive practice on the words and structures the examiner keeps asking for.
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Words for family and friends
This module builds your Chinese vocabulary for the people in your life: your family and your friends. Chinese is written in characters, and each word is shown with its English meaning. One thing to watch for: Chinese uses different words for older and younger brothers and sisters.
People in your life
Start with four words for the people closest to you. Each Chinese word is shown with its English meaning.
Match the person
- 爸爸
- 妈妈
- 哥哥
- 姐姐
- Dad
- Mum
- Older brother
- Elder sister
Find the word
Which Chinese word means "friend"?
- 朋友
- 家
- 宠物
- 儿子
Older or younger?
Chinese does not have one word for brother or one for sister. The word depends on whether they are older or younger than you.
Match more people
- 弟弟
- 妹妹
- 儿子
- 女儿
- Younger brother
- Younger sister
- Son
- Daughter
Older and younger matter
Remember the age split. An older brother is 哥哥 and a younger brother is 弟弟. An elder sister is 姐姐 and a younger sister is 妹妹. Always think about who is older before you choose the word.
Choose the word
A person you like who is not family is a _____. An animal kept at home is a _____. The people you are related to are your _____. Your father is your _____. Your mother is your _____.
Family members
Which of these Chinese words are members of a family? Choose all that apply.
- 爸爸
- 妈妈
- 儿子
- 朋友
- 宠物
Tap the family
Tap the two Chinese words that name a member of your family.
- 爸爸
- 朋友
- 女儿
- 宠物
Introduce your family
Put the steps of a short family introduction into a sensible order.
- Say hello and give your name
- Say how many people are in your family
- Name your parents
- Name your brothers and sisters
- Say who your best friend is
Older or younger?
Which Chinese word means an older brother?
- 哥哥
- 弟弟
- 姐姐
- 爸爸
Introduce your family
You are introducing your family to a new friend. Choose the right Chinese word at each stage.
- First you introduce your father. Which word means dad?
- You mention your younger sister. Which word do you use?
- You talk about your best friend. Which word means friend?
Your family in Chinese
Write a few sentences about your family. Name two family members and say who your friend is.
- Name at least two members of your family
- Say whether each is older or younger than you
- Say who your best friend is