Learn Mandarin Chinese Family and Relationships 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the Mandarin word for 'mother'?
- 爸爸 (bàba)
- 妈妈 (māma) (Correct answer)
- 姐姐 (jiějie)
- 奶奶 (nǎinai)
Correct answer: 妈妈 (māma)
妈妈 (māma) means 'mother' in Mandarin and is one of the first family words learners study.
Question 2: How do you say 'father' in Mandarin Chinese?
- 哥哥 (gēge)
- 叔叔 (shūshu)
- 爸爸 (bàba) (Correct answer)
- 弟弟 (dìdi)
Correct answer: 爸爸 (bàba)
爸爸 (bàba) means 'father' or 'dad' in Mandarin, similar to the English informal 'baba'.
Question 3: What does 姐姐 (jiějie) mean in Mandarin?
- Younger sister
- Younger brother
- Older sister (Correct answer)
- Older brother
Correct answer: Older sister
姐姐 (jiějie) specifically means 'older sister'; Mandarin distinguishes between older and younger siblings.
Question 4: Which Mandarin word means 'older brother'?
- 弟弟 (dìdi)
- 哥哥 (gēge) (Correct answer)
- 妹妹 (mèimei)
- 姐姐 (jiějie)
Correct answer: 哥哥 (gēge)
哥哥 (gēge) means 'older brother'; the ge sound is associated with older male siblings.
Question 5: What is the Mandarin term for paternal grandmother?
- 外婆 (wàipó)
- 姥姥 (lǎolao)
- 奶奶 (nǎinai) (Correct answer)
- 婆婆 (pópo)
Correct answer: 奶奶 (nǎinai)
奶奶 (nǎinai) refers specifically to your father's mother (paternal grandmother) in standard Mandarin.
Question 6: What does 弟弟 (dìdi) mean in Mandarin?
- Older brother
- Younger brother (Correct answer)
- Uncle
- Cousin
Correct answer: Younger brother
弟弟 (dìdi) means 'younger brother'; Chinese sibling vocabulary always encodes both sex and birth order.
Question 7: How do you say 'wife' in Mandarin Chinese?
- 先生 (xiānsheng)
- 丈夫 (zhàngfu)
- 妻子 (qīzi) (Correct answer)
- 女朋友 (nǚpéngyou)
Correct answer: 妻子 (qīzi)
妻子 (qīzi) is the standard Mandarin word for 'wife'; 丈夫 (zhàngfu) is the word for husband.
Learn Mandarin Chinese Family and Relationships 1
What is the Mandarin word for 'mother'?