姨 (yí) - Maternal aunt & specifically, mother's sister

姨Tone 2

yí ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

一懿

姨 · yí

Maternal aunt;

specifically, mother's sister;

also used as a polite term for middle-aged women.

Maternal auntspecifically, mother's sisteralso used as a polite term for middle-aged

Usage highlights

Maternal auntAuntieMother's sisterAunt's homeEldest maternal auntYoungest maternal aunt

Synonyms

  • 姨妈— maternal aunt (mother's sister)
  • 阿姨— auntie; polite term for middle-aged woman

Antonyms

  • 姑— paternal aunt (father's sister)
  • 舅— maternal uncle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My maternal aunt (姨妈) is visiting from Shanghai.
  • She is the younger sister of my mother (妈妈的妹妹).
  • The child calls her auntie (阿姨).
  • He has a good relationship with his aunt (姨母).

Collocations

  • Maternal aunt(姨妈)
  • Auntie(阿姨)
  • Mother's sister(姨母)
  • Aunt's home(姨家)
  • Eldest maternal aunt(大姨)
  • Youngest maternal aunt(小姨)

Idioms

  • Seven aunts and eight grandmothers(七姨八姑)
  • Auntie's tongue is long(姨婆嘴长)
  • Acting like a mother's sister(姨母作派)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese kinship, 姨 specifically refers to maternal aunts, distinguishing them from paternal aunts (姑).
  • 阿姨 is commonly used as a polite term for middle-aged women, similar to 'auntie' in English.
  • The character reflects the matrilineal side of family relationships in traditional Chinese culture.

FAQ