A Chinese family tree carries information the English one throws away. Before you can name a relative you have to know whether they are older or younger than you and whether they belong to your mother's side or your father's. The twelve words on this free printable sheet cover that map: 家人 (jiā rén, family member), 父母 (fù mǔ, parents), four grandparents, four siblings, and the everyday 叔叔 and 阿姨.
Older, younger, and whose side
哥哥 (gē ge) is an older brother and 弟弟 (dì di) a younger one; 姐姐 (jiě jie) and 妹妹 (mèi mei) split sisters the same way. There is no neutral word, so "I have one brother" forces you to pick. The grandparents divide by line rather than age: 爷爷 and 奶奶 are your father's parents, while 外公 and 外婆 are your mother's. That 外 means outside, a leftover from the days when a married daughter counted as part of another household. 叔叔 and 阿姨 stretch beyond blood relatives too, and children use them to address any adult of roughly their parents' age.
Two habits worth noticing
Seven of these words double a syllable, and the second one goes neutral: gē ge, mèi mei, yé ye. Say that second half light and short. Watch for 女 as you trace, too. The woman radical sits on the left of 奶, 姐 and 妹, and it sits at the foot of 婆 in 外婆, running through the whole female half of the family.
Trace the guided strokes, then write each character unaided in the blank grids. If you also want 爸爸 and 妈妈 on their own page, the HSK 1 family worksheet covers the immediate household, and the free Chinese worksheet generator will make a sheet from your own relatives' names.
Words on this worksheet: 家人 (jiā rén) — family; 父母 (fù mǔ) — father and mother, parents; 爷爷 (yéye) — grandpa; 奶奶 (nǎinai) — grandma; 外公 (wài gōng) — (coll.) mother's father; 外婆 (wài pó) — (coll.) mother's mother; 哥哥 (gē ge ｜ gē) — elder brother; 姐姐 (jiě jie ｜ jiě) — elder sister; 弟弟 (dì di ｜ dì) — younger brother; 妹妹 (mèi) — mei ｜ younger sister; 叔叔 (shūshu) — uncle; 阿姨 (āyí) — aunt. See also:
Chinese worksheets for kids ·
Chinese Surnames.
Hear these words in beginner Mandarin songs.
Frequently asked questions
Is this worksheet free to download as a PDF?
Yes. The Family & Relatives worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed. Press Print / Download PDF: on a computer the PDF opens ready to print or save, and on a phone it goes to your share sheet. A4 or US Letter follows your country.
What level is this worksheet?
It suits learners from about HSK 3. That is an editorial estimate for the Family & Relatives topic, not an official HSK word list, so a few of its 12 words may be harder. Each word prints with tone-marked pinyin and an English meaning to help.
Can I print copies for my class?
Yes. Print as many copies as you like — it's free. For a class set, press Change the words and open More options to add an answer key, a class line or a dictation page; the Student PDF leaves the key out. Test turns the sheet into a quiz.
Can I change the words or use traditional characters?
Yes. Press Change the words to open this sheet in the generator, then add, remove or replace words, up to 20 per sheet. Set Characters to Traditional to switch the whole sheet to traditional characters; a word with no verified traditional form stays as you typed it.
How should I practice with this worksheet?
Trace the gray guides first, saying each word aloud, then cover the model and write the characters from memory in the blank boxes. Scan the sheet's QR code or open the Practice tab to watch each stroke animate, trace it, then recall it without a guide. Revisit missed words a day or two later.