Chinese phrases
How to say aunt in Chinese
Aunt in Chinese is 姑姑 (gū gu) for your father’s sister and 姨妈 (yí mā) for your mother’s sister. 阿姨 (ā yí) is for any woman your parents’ age, and many families use it for the mother’s sister too.
姑姑
aunt (your father’s sister)
The second 姑 in 姑姑 is light and short: gū gu.
Ways to say aunt
姑姑
Everydayaunt (your father’s sister)
Your father’s sister, whether she is older or younger than him.
姨妈
Everydayaunt (your mother’s sister)
Your mother’s sister. In speech many families use her birth-order name, such as 大姨 or 小姨, and in the south many say 阿姨.
阿姨
Everydayauntie
Any woman about your parents’ age: a friend’s mother, a neighbour, the woman who runs the shop downstairs. People also call a nanny or a cleaner 阿姨.
舅妈
Everydayaunt (your mother’s brother’s wife)
The wife of 舅舅, your mother’s brother.
婶婶
Everydayaunt (your father’s younger brother’s wife)
The wife of 叔叔, your father’s younger brother.
伯母
Formalaunt (your father’s older brother’s wife)
The wife of 伯伯, your father’s older brother. It is also a polite word for a friend’s mother, but most young people now say 阿姨.
Aunts by birth order
With more than one aunt on a side, families add a number to tell them apart.
大姨
your mother’s eldest sister
The eldest of your mother’s sisters.
二姨
your mother’s second sister
The next one down. 三姨 is the third, and so on.
小姨
your mother’s youngest sister
The youngest, whatever her number.
大姑
your father’s eldest sister
The same pattern on your father’s side.
Common mistakes
One word for every aunt
姑姑 and 姨妈 are on different sides of the family. If you call your father’s sister 姨妈, you put her on your mother’s side. When you are not sure, ask your parents what to call her.
Saying 大姨妈
大姨妈 is also a common euphemism for a period, as in 大姨妈来了. For your mother’s eldest sister, most people say 大姨.
阿姨 for a woman your own age
阿姨 puts a woman in your parents’ generation. A woman in her twenties may take it as a comment on her age. Say 你好, or in a shop, 美女.
Using your friend’s word for her aunt
Your friend’s 姑姑 is not your 姑姑. When you meet her, call her 阿姨.
Meeting a friend’s aunt
姑姑，这是我朋友里昂。
Qiqi: Auntie, this is my friend Leon.
阿姨好！
Leon: Hello!
你好！快进来坐。
Qiqi’s aunt: Hello! Come in and sit down.
