Chinese Family - Larger Extended Family and Terminology

Larger Extended Family and Terminology

This section covers members and their spouses found beyond the first nine corner cells on the table of consanguinity or cousin chart. Although some of the relations seem distant, they are considered close relatives and it is common for Chinese families to have regular contact with these members.

Extended family
Relation Term Vocative or Address English equivalent Degree of mourning (duration)
paternal (maternal) grandfather's older (younger) brother (外)伯(叔)祖父 (外)伯(叔)公 granduncle paternal: 4
maternal: 0
- wife (外)伯(嬸)祖母 (外)伯(嬸)婆 grandaunt paternal: 4
maternal: 0
paternal (maternal) grandfather's sister (外)姑祖母 (外)姑婆; (外)從祖姑 grandaunt paternal: 4; 5 if married
maternal: 0
- husband (外)姑祖父 (外)姑公; (外)丈公 granduncle 0
paternal (maternal) grandmother's brother (外)舅祖父 (外)舅公 granduncle 0
- wife (外)舅祖母 (外)舅婆 grandaunt 0
paternal (maternal) grandmother's sister (外)姨祖母 (外)姨婆 grandaunt 0
- husband (外)姨祖父 (外)姨公 granduncle 0
paternal (maternal) great-grandparent (外)曾祖父母 (外)太公/婆 great-grandparent paternal: 2 (5 months)
maternal: 0
paternal (maternal) great-grandfather's older (younger) brother (外)族曾祖父 (外)曾伯(叔)祖父;(外)太伯(叔)公 great-granduncle paternal: 5
maternal: 0
- wife (外)族曾祖母 (外)太伯(嬸)婆; (外)太伯(嬸)婆 great-grandaunt paternal: 5
maternal: 0
paternal (maternal) great-grandfather's sister (外)族曾祖姑 (外)曾祖姑 great-grandaunt paternal: 5; 0 if married
maternal: 0
paternal (maternal) great-great-grandparent (外)高祖父母 great-great-grandparent paternal: 2 (3 months)
maternal: 0
son of brother's son (daughter) (外)姪孫兒 grandnephew 2 (1 year)
maternal: 0
- wife (外)姪孫媳 grandniece in-law 5
maternal:0
daughter of brother's son (daughter) (外)姪孫女 grandniece 2 (1 year); 3 if married
maternal: 0
sister's grandchildren 外甥孫兒女 grandnephew; grandniece 0
children of son's son 曾孫兒女 great-grandchildren male: 5; female:0
all other great-grandchildren 外曾孫兒女 great-grandchildren 0
children of son's son's son 玄孫兒女 元孫兒女 great-great-grandchildren male: 5; female:0
all other great-great-grandchildren 外玄孫兒女 外元孫兒女 great-great-grandchildren 0
grandson of brother's son (daughter) (外)姪曾孫兒 great-grandnephew 5; maternal: 0
granddaughter of brother's son (daughter) (外)姪曾孫女 great-grandniece 5; maternal: 0
sister's great-grandchildren 外甥曾孫兒女 great-grandnephew; great-grandniece 0
First cousins
Relation Term English equivalent Degree of mourning (duration)
children of father's brother's son 堂姪兒女 first cousin once removed
all other grandchildren of father's sibling 表姪兒女 "
grandchildren of mother's sibling 表甥兒女 "
son of paternal grandfather's brother who is older than ego's father 堂伯 "
son of paternal grandfather's brother who is younger than ego's father 堂叔 "
daughter of paternal grandfather's brother 堂姑 "
son of maternal grandfather's brother 堂舅 "
daughter of maternal grandfather's brother 堂姨 "
son of paternal grandfather's sister who is older than ego's father 表伯 "
son of paternal grandmother's sibling who is older than ego's father 表伯 "
son of paternal grandfather's sister who is younger than ego's father 表叔 "
son of paternal grandmother's sibling who is younger than ego's father 表叔 "
daughter of paternal grandfather's sister 表姑 "
daughter of paternal grandmother's sibling 表姑 "
son of maternal grandfather's sister 表舅 "
son of maternal grandmother's sibling 表舅 "
daughter of maternal grandfather's sister 表姨 "
daughter of maternal grandmother's sibling 表姨 "
son of paternal (maternal) great-grandfather's brother who is older than ego's grandfather (外)族伯祖父 first cousin twice removed
son of paternal (maternal) great-grandfather's brother who is younger than ego's grandfather (外)族叔祖父 "
daughter of paternal great-grandfather's brother (外)族祖姑 "
children of father's brother's son's son 堂姪孫兒女
all other great-grandchildren of parent's sibling 表姪孫兒女 "
Second cousins
Relation Term Vocative or Address English equivalent Degree of mourning (duration)
grandson of paternal grandfather's brother older than ego 再從兄 second cousin 4
grandson of paternal grandfather's brother younger than ego 再從弟 " 4
granddaughter of paternal grandfather's brother older than ego 再從姐 " 4; 5 if married
granddaughter of paternal grandfather's brother younger than ego 再從妹 " 4; 5 if married
second cousin once removed
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Third cousins
Relation Term Vocative or Address English equivalent Degree of mourning (duration)
great-grandson of paternal great-grandfather's brother older than ego 族兄 三從兄 third cousin 5
great-grandson of paternal great-grandfather's brother younger than ego 族弟 三從弟 " 5
great-granddaughter of paternal great-grandfather's brother older than ego 族姐 三從姐 " 5; 0 if married
great-granddaughter of paternal great-grandfather's brother younger than ego 族妹 三從妹 " 5; 0 if married

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