It doesn’t come as surprise that the first role models children have, are often close family members.
While learning how to navigate the world, children look to family relationships for cues—just like how little ones often copy the gestures of mum and dad, or those of their siblings.
When children engage in family activities and get to know more about their family members (and the relationships they share), it helps them to further develop their social skills, create meaningful and healthier connections in their lives.
One great way to start is by introducing children to the various kinship terms to help foster a sense of familiarity in them.
In the rest of the article, we explore the names of family members in different languages, from English, Malay to even Filipino and Korean. Doing so also teaches them respect and manners as they would have to apply these terms appropriately and consciously to the respective family members.
Names of Family Members To Teach Children
Names of family members are often used to express endearment, and help foster closer bonds among family members, or even with the community. | Image source: iStock
English
| Male | Female |
| Father | Mother |
| Husband | Wife |
| Grandfather | Grandmother |
| Great-grandfather | Great-grandmother |
| Son | Daughter |
| Brother | Sister |
| Uncle | Aunt |
| Nephew | Niece |
| Cousin | Cousin |
| Father-in-law | Mother-in-law |
| Son-in-law | Daughter-in-law |
Mandarin
| Male | Female | ||
| Father | 爸爸 (bàba) | Mother | 妈妈 (māma) |
| Husband | 丈夫 (Zhàngfū) or 老公 (lǎogōng) | Wife | 妻子 (Qīzi) or 老婆 (lǎopó) |
| Grandfather on Mum’s side | 外公 (wàigōng) | Grandmother on Mum’s side | 外婆 (wàipó) |
| Grandfather on Dad’s side | 爷爷 (Yéyé) | Grandmother on Dad’s side | 奶奶 (Nǎinai) |
| Great-grandfather | 曾祖父 (Zēngzǔfù) | Great-grandmother | 曾祖母 (Zēngzǔmǔ) |
| Son | 儿子 (Érzi) | Daughter | 女儿 (Nǚ’ér) |
| Older Brother | 哥哥 (Gēgē) | Older Sister | 姐姐 (Jiějiě) |
| Younger Brother | 弟弟 (Dìdì) | Younger Sister | 妹妹 (Mèimei) |
| Dad’s older brother | 伯伯 (Bóbo) | Mum’s older or younger brother | 舅舅 (Jiùjiu) |
| Dad’s younger brother | 叔叔 (Shūshu) | ||
| Dad’s older sister | 姑妈 (Gūmā) | Mum’s older sister | 姨妈 (Yímā) |
| Dad’s younger sister | 姑姑 (Gūgū) | Mum’s younger sister | 阿姨 (Āyí) |
| Nephew, Brother’s son | 姪子 (zhízi) | Niece, Brother’s daughter | 姪女 (zhínǚ) |
| Nephew, Sister’s son | 外甥 (wàishēng) | Niece, Sister’s daughter | 外甥女 (wàishengnǚ) |
|
Cousin, Dad’s sibling’s son (if older than you) |
堂兄 (Táng xiōng) |
Cousin, Dad’s sibling’s daughter (if older than you) |
堂姐 (Táng jiě) |
|
Cousin, Dad’s sibling’s son (if younger than you) |
堂弟 (Táng dì) | Cousin, Dad’s sibling’s daughter (if younger than you) | 堂妹 (Táng Mèi) |
|
Cousin, Mom’s sibling’s son (if older than you) |
表哥 (Biǎo gē) | Cousin, Mom’s sibling’s daughter (if older than you) | 表姐 (Biǎo jiě) |
|
Cousin, Mom’s sibling’s son (if younger than you) |
表弟 (Biǎo dì) | Cousin, Mom’s sibling’s daughter (if younger than you) | 表妹 (Biǎo mèi) |
| Husband’s father (Father-in-law) |
公公 (gōnggong) |
Husband’s mother (Mother-in-law) |
婆婆 (pópo) |
| Wife’s father (Father-in-law) |
岳父 (yuèfù) |
Wife’s mother (Mother-in-law) |
岳母 (yuèmǔ) |
| Son-in-law | 女婿 (Nǚxù) | Daughter-in-law | 媳妇 (Xífù) |
| Your older sister’s husband (Brother-in-law) |
姐夫 (Jiěfū) |
Your older brother’s wife (Sister-in-law) |
嫂子 (Sǎo zi)
|
| Your younger sister’s husband (Brother-in-law) |
妹夫 (Mèifū) |
Your younger brother’s wife (Sister-in-law) |
弟妇 (Dìfù) |
Malay
| Male |
Female |
||
| Father | Bapa | Mother | Ibu |
| Husband | Suami | Wife | Isteri |
| Grandfather | Datuk | Grandmother | Nenek |
| Great-grandfather | Moyang | Great-grandmother | Moyang |
| Son | Anak Lelaki | Daughter | Anak perempuan |
| Brother |
|
Sister |
|
| Uncle |
|
Aunt |
|
| Nephew | Anak saudara | Niece | Anak saudara |
| Cousin |
|
||
| Father-in-law | Bapa mertua | Mother-in-law | Ibu mertua |
| Son-in-law | Menantu | Daughter-in-law | Menantu perempuan |
| Brother-in-law |
|
Sister-in-law |
|
Tamil
| Male |
Female |
||
| Father | அப்பா (Appā) | Mother | அம்மா (Am’mā) |
| Husband | கணவர் (Kaṇavar) | Wife | மனைவி (Maṉaivi) |
| Grandfather | தாத்தா (Tāttā) | Grandmother | பாட்டி (Pāṭṭi) |
| Great-grandfather | கொள்ளுத் தாத்தா (Koḷḷut tāttā) | Great-grandmother | கொள்ளுப் பாட்டி (Koḷḷup pāṭṭi) |
| Son | மகன் (Makaṉ) | Daughter | மகள் (Makaḷ) |
| Brother | சகோதரர் (Cakōtarar) | Sister | சகோதரி (Cakōtari) |
| Elder Brother | அண்ணன் (Aṇṇaṉ) | Elder Sister | அக்கா (Akkā) |
| Younger Brother | தம்பி (Tampi) | Younger Sister | தங்கை (Taṅkai) |
| Maternal Uncle | மாமா (தாய் மாமா ) – Māmā (tāy māmā) | Aunty | அத்தை , சித்தி , மாமி , பெரியம்மா – Attai, citti, māmi, periyam’mā |
| Paternal Uncle | பெரியப்பா , சித்தப்பா – Periyappā, cittappā | ||
| Nephew | அண்ணன் , தம்பி , அக்காள் , தங்கை – இவர்களின் மகன் Aṇṇaṉ, tampi, akkāḷ, taṅkai – ivarkaḷiṉ makaṉ (brother’s, sister’s son) | Niece | அண்ணன் , தம்பி , அக்காள் , தங்கை – இவர்களின் மகள் Aṇṇaṉ, tampi, akkāḷ, taṅkai – ivarkaḷiṉ makaḷ (brother’s, sister’s daughter) |
| Cousin | அத்தை , மாமா – இவர்களின் மகன் , மகள் (Attai, māmā – ivarkaḷiṉ makaṉ, makaḷ) – athai, mama’s son, daughter | ||
| Father-in-law | மாமனார் (Māmaṉār) | Mother-in-law | மாமியார் (Māmiyār) |
| Son-in-law | மருமகன் (Marumakaṉ) | Daughter-in-law | மருமகள் (Marumakaḷ) |
| Brother-in-law | மைத்துனர் (கணவரின் or மனைவியின் – அண்ணன் , தம்பி ) – maithunar (husband’s or wife’s – elder or younger brother) | Sister-in-law | நாத்தனார் or மைத்துனி (கணவரின் or மனைவியின் -அக்கா , தங்கை ) – naathanar or maithuni (husband’s or wife’s elder/younger sister) |
Filipino
| Male |
Female |
||
| Father | ama | Mother | ina |
| Grandfather | lolo | Grandmother | lola |
| Great-grandfather | lolo sa tuhod | Great-grandmother | lola sa tuhod |
| Son | anak na lalaki | Daughter | anak na babae |
| Brother |
|
Sister |
|
| Uncle | tiyuhin | Aunt | tiyahin |
| Nephew | pamangking lalaki | Niece | pamangking babae |
| Cousin | pinsan | ||
| Father-in-law | biyenan na lalaki | Mother-in-law | biyenan na babae |
| Son-in-law | manugang na lalaki | Daughter-in-law | manugang na babae |
| Brother-in-law | bayaw | Sister-in-law | hipag |
Indonesian
| Male |
Female |
||
| Father | Bapak, ayah | Mother | ibu |
| Husband | Suami | Wife | Istri |
| Grandfather | grand father | Grandmother | grandmother |
| Great-grandfather | Great-grandmother | nenek moyang | |
| Son | Anak laki-laki | Daughter | Anak perempuan |
| Brother |
|
Sister |
|
| Uncle | Paman | Aunt | Bibi |
| Nephew | Keponakan laki-laki | Niece | Keponakan perempuan |
| Cousin | Sepupu | ||
| Father-in-law | Ayah mertua | Mother-in-law | Ibu mertua |
| Son-in-law | Menantu | Daughter-in-law | Menantu perempuan |
| Brother-in-law | Ipar laki-laki | Sister-in-law | Ipar perempuan |
Korean
| Male |
Female |
||
| Father/Dad | 아버지/아빠 [A-buh-ji/Appa] | Mother/Mum | 어머니/엄마 [Uh-muh-ni/Omma] |
| Husband |
남편 [nampyeon] |
Wife |
부인 [buin] |
| Grandparents | 조부모님 [Jo-boo-mo-nim] | ||
| Grandfather | 할아버지 [Hal-ah-buh-ji] | Grandmother | 할머니 [Hal-muh-ni] |
| Great-grandfather | 증조부 [Jeung-jo-bu] | Great-grandmother | 증조모 [Jeung-jo-mo] |
| Son | 아들 [A-dul] | Daughter | 딸 [Ddal] |
| Brothers |
형제 [Hyung-jae] |
Sisters |
자매 [Ja-mae] |
| Younger Brother |
남동생 [nam-dong-saeng] |
Younger Sister |
여동생 [yeo-dong-saeng] |
| Older brother (used by a younger female sibling) | 오빠 [Oppa] | Older sister (used by a younger female sibling) | 언니 [Un-ni] |
| Older brother (used by a younger male sibling) | 형 [Hyung] | Older sister (used by a younger male sibling) | 누나 [Nu-na] |
| Uncle (Your mother’s brother) | 삼촌 [Saam-chon] |
Aunt (Your mother’s sister) |
이모 [Imo] |
| Uncle (Your father’s older brother) | 큰아버지 [Kun-a-buh-ji] |
Aunt (Your father’s sister) |
고모 [Go-mo] |
| Uncle (Your father’s younger brother) | 작은아버지 [Jakun-a-buh-ji] |
|
|
| Nephew/Niece (gender-neutral) | 조카 [Jo-kah] | ||
| Cousin (in general) | 사촌 [Sa-chon] | ||
| Father-in-law (husband’s side) |
아버님 (abeonim) | Mother-in-law (husband’s side) |
어머님 (eomeonim) |
| Father-in-law (wife’s side) |
장인 어른 (jangin eoreun) | Mother-in-law (wife’s side) |
장모님 (jangmonim) |
| Relative by marriage in-laws |
사돈 (sadon) | ||
| Brother-in-law (husband’s side) |
형님 (hyeongnim) 도련님 (doryeonnim) 서방님 (seobangnim) |
Sister-in-law (husband’s side) |
동서 (dongseo) 아가씨 (agassi) |
| Brother-in-law (wife’s side) |
처남 (cheonam) | Sister-in-law (wife’s side) |
처제 (cheoje) |
We hope you have enjoyed this list of names of family members to teach children, and have picked up some useful terms. In many cultures, these terms are used to express endearment, and children who identify with family members gain a greater understanding of their place in the world.
Image source: iStock
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