The people in a child's life are the most meaningful first words to learn, and family terms are wonderfully warm to practise. This free book teaches 爸爸 (dad), 妈妈 (mum), 婆婆 (grandma), 公公 (grandpa) and more, each with Chinese characters, pinyin, English, and tap-to-hear audio.
Chinese family words are specific and loving — there are separate terms for older and younger siblings, and for different cousins — which makes them a lovely way to talk about your own family. Tap any word to hear it spoken clearly, and switch the audio between Mandarin and English so grandparents can join the read-aloud too.
Designed for toddlers, preschoolers, and bilingual families, this book needs no sign-up and works on any phone or tablet. Pair it with our free greetings and animals books, or create a personalized Chinese storybook that puts your own child and family at the heart of the story.
Family word list
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Father | 爸爸 | bàba |
| Mother | 妈妈 | māma |
| Older sister | 姐姐 | jiějie |
| Older brother | 哥哥 | gēge |
| Little sister | 妹妹 | mèimei |
| Little brother | 弟弟 | dìdi |
| Grandma | 婆婆 | pópo |
| Grandpa | 公公 | gōnggong |
| Auntie | 阿姨 | āyí |
| Uncle | 舅舅 | jiùjiu |
| Older girl cousin | 表姐 | biǎojiě |
| Older boy cousin | 表哥 | biǎogē |
| Younger girl cousin | 表妹 | biǎomèi |
| Younger boy cousin | 表弟 | biǎodì |