Uncle · 伯叔舅
Uncle in Chinese: five words, not one
English has one “uncle”. Mandarin has five words for the men of your parents' generation, because each one states which side of the family he belongs to — and, on your father's side, whether he is older or younger than your father.
The short answer
bó bo
father's older brother
Father's older brother.
shū shu
father's younger brother
Father's younger brother.
jiù jiu
mother's brother
Mother's brother.
gū fu
husband of father's sister
Husband of your father's sister.
yí fu
husband of mother's sister
Husband of your mother's sister.
Which one should you use?
Also 伯父 bófù. With several, they are ranked: 大伯, 二伯, 三伯.
Also 叔父 shūfù; ranked 二叔, 三叔. 叔叔 is also a polite word for any man of your father's generation.
Also 舅父 jiùfù; ranked 大舅, 二舅. This is the one learners most often replace with 叔叔 by mistake.
Your 姑姑's husband. Sometimes written 姑夫.
Your 姨妈's husband. Sometimes written 姨夫.
The uncle words, with their wives
Each uncle has a matching word for his wife — and those words are just as specific.
Select any term to open its card with audio, meaning and an example.
| English | Term | Pinyin | Who exactly | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| father's older brother | bó bo | your father's older brother | Also 伯父 bófù. With several, they are ranked: 大伯, 二伯, 三伯. | |
| wife of father's older brother | bó mǔ | your 伯伯's wife | In the north, 大妈 dàmā. Not to be confused with 伯母 as a polite word for a friend's mother. | |
| father's younger brother | shū shu | your father's younger brother | Also 叔父 shūfù; ranked 二叔, 三叔. 叔叔 is also a polite address for any man of your father's generation. | |
| wife of father's younger brother | shěn shen | your 叔叔's wife | Also 婶母 shěnmǔ. | |
| mother's brother | jiù jiu | your mother's brother | Also 舅父 jiùfù; ranked 大舅, 二舅. In some families 舅舅 is the uncle who spoils you. | |
| wife of mother's brother | jiù mā | your 舅舅's wife | Also 舅母 jiùmǔ. | |
| husband of father's sister | gū fu | your 姑姑's husband | Sometimes written 姑夫. | |
| husband of mother's sister | yí fu | your 姨妈's husband | Sometimes written 姨夫. |
The wives' words are on the aunt guide: 伯母, 婶婶, 舅妈, 姑姑 and 姨妈.
In a sentence
他是我爸爸的弟弟，我叫他叔叔。Tā shì wǒ bàba de dìdi, wǒ jiào tā shūshu.
He is my father's younger brother — I call him 叔叔.
我舅舅在杭州开了一家茶馆。Wǒ jiùjiu zài Hángzhōu kāile yī jiā cháguan.
My maternal uncle runs a teahouse in Hangzhou.
Common mistakes
- Using 叔叔 for your mother's brother. He is 舅舅 — the side of the family changes the word.
- Using 伯伯 for a younger paternal uncle. 伯 and 叔 are split by whether he is older or younger than your father, not by his age in absolute terms.
- Forgetting the husbands of your aunts. 姑父 and 姨父 are uncles too, and they have their own words.
- Treating 叔叔 as only a family word. It is also the normal polite address for men of your father's generation.
The cultural bit
What the word carries
The uncle words map onto the same two axes as the rest of the system: side (father's vs mother's) and age (older vs younger than your father). Marriages add a third layer: the husband of your father's sister is not 伯伯, he is 姑父, because he married into the father's side rather than being born into it.
Questions
What is the difference between 伯伯 and 叔叔?
伯伯 is your father's older brother; 叔叔 is your father's younger brother. The split is relative to your father, not to you.
How do you say uncle on your mother's side?
舅舅 (jiùjiu) for your mother's brother. His wife is 舅妈 (jiùmā).
Is 叔叔 used for strangers?
Yes. 叔叔 is a normal, friendly way to address a man of your parents' generation, especially in shops, cabs and family settings.
What about the husband of my aunt?
If she is your father's sister, he is 姑父; if she is your mother's sister, he is 姨父. The wife of your mother's brother is 舅妈.
Want the whole system on one page?
Open the Chinese family tree