Family · 家庭
Family in Chinese: 家庭, 家人 and 家族
English “family” covers a household, the people in it, and the wider clan. Chinese splits those ideas: 家庭 is the unit, 家人 are the people, 家族 is the extended clan, and 亲戚 are the relatives outside your immediate circle. Using the right one changes the sentence.
The short answer
jiā rén
family members
Use for the people in your family — warm and personal.
jiā tíng
family (household)
Use for the household as a unit — formal or statistical.
qīn qi
relatives
Use for relatives beyond your immediate family, including in-laws.
Which one should you use?
Your parents, children, spouse and the people you live with. 我家有四口人 is natural; 我的家庭有四口人 sounds like a form.
Used in formal, statistical or policy contexts: 家庭成员, 家庭关系, 家庭主妇. It describes the unit, not the individuals.
Relatives beyond your immediate family, including in-laws and extended family. At New Year, 亲戚 is the word for the people who come back.
A larger lineage with a shared surname and history. Not in the 73-term reference because it names a group, not one relative; still common in formal and historical contexts.
The words for family itself
Family splits into the people, the unit, the relatives, and the generations above and below you.
Select any term to open its card with audio, meaning and an example.
| English | Term | Pinyin | Who exactly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| family members | jiā rén | the people in your family | Warmer and more personal than 家庭. | |
| family (household) | jiā tíng | the family as a unit | Used in formal or statistical contexts: 家庭关系, 家庭主妇. | |
| relatives | qīn qi | relatives beyond your immediate family, including in-laws | Covers everyone from 姑姑 to 表妹 to 亲家. | |
| elders | zhǎng bèi | the older generations in your family | ||
| juniors | wǎn bèi | the younger generations in your family | ||
| same generation | píng bèi | people of your own generation | ||
| ancestors | zǔ xiān | your forebears — the generations before you | ||
| descendants | hòu dài | the generations after you |
家族 (jiāzú, clan) and 家属 (jiāshǔ, dependants) are also common; they describe a group rather than a single relative, so they are explained here rather than in the 73-term list.
In a sentence
我家有四口人：爸爸、妈妈、妹妹和我。Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén: bàba, māma, mèimei hé wǒ.
There are four people in my family: dad, mom, my younger sister and me.
家庭成员包括父母、配偶和子女。Jiātíng chéngyuán bāokuò fùmǔ, pèi'ǒu hé zǐnǚ.
Household members include parents, spouse and children. (formal)
过年的时候，亲戚们都会回来。Guònián de shíhou, qīnqi men dōu huì huílái.
At New Year, all the relatives come back.
Common mistakes
- Translating “my family has four people” as 我的家庭有四口人. Say 我家有四口人; 家庭 names the unit, not the people.
- Using 家族 for an ordinary household. 家族 is a clan or lineage, much larger than 家庭.
- Calling your parents 亲戚. 亲戚 usually means relatives beyond your immediate family.
- Assuming 家 only means “family”. It also means “home” — 回家 is to go home.
The cultural bit
What the word carries
家 is the root: it means both family and home, and it appears in 家乡 (hometown), 家长 (parent or guardian) and 家门 (family). 家庭 is a modern, formal word for the household; 家人 is warmer and more personal. 家族 points to a lineage with a shared surname and history, which is why genealogy books are 家谱. In everyday speech, 我家 is usually enough: 我家有三口人.
Questions
How do you say family in Chinese?
It depends: 家庭 (household), 家人 (family members), 家 (home or family), 家族 (clan). For “my family” in conversation, 我家 is the natural choice.
What is the difference between 家庭 and 家人?
家庭 is the unit; 家人 are the people. 家庭成员 is a formal way to say family members; 家人 is what you say in daily life.
Is 家族 the same as 家庭?
No. 家庭 is a household; 家族 is a larger lineage or clan, often with a shared surname and history.
Are 亲戚 only blood relatives?
No. 亲戚 covers relatives beyond your immediate family, including in-laws and more distant relatives. Your parents and siblings are 家人, not 亲戚.
How do you say family members in Chinese?
家庭成员 is the formal term; 家人 is the everyday one. The full list of 73 terms is on the Chinese family tree page.
Want the whole system on one page?
Open the Chinese family tree