婶 (shěn) - Aunt — refers to one's father's younger brother's & also used as a general term for a

婶Tone 3

shěn ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

婶 · shěn

Aunt — refers to one's father's younger brother's wife;

also used as a general term for a middle-aged woman or auntie.

Aunt — refers to one's father's younger brother'salso used as a general term for a

Usage highlights

AuntAuntieThird AuntYounger paternal auntAunt and unclePaternal aunt

Synonyms

  • 叔母— Father's younger brother's wife (more formal)
  • 阿姨— Aunt (general term, also for mother's sisters)

Antonyms

  • 叔— Uncle (father's younger brother, male counterpart)
  • 伯母— Aunt (father's elder brother's wife)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My aunt (婶婶) is coming to visit.
  • She is my father's younger brother's wife (叔母).
  • The neighbor auntie (大婶) is very kind.
  • I call her Third Aunt (三婶) as she is married to my father's third younger brother.

Collocations

  • Aunt(婶婶)
  • Auntie(大婶)
  • Third Aunt(三婶)
  • Younger paternal aunt(叔母)
  • Aunt and uncle(婶叔)
  • Paternal aunt(婶娘)

Idioms

  • Not even recognize one's own aunt(六亲不认)
  • Close as family(亲如一家)
  • Treat with the courtesy due to an elder(以婶事之)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese kinship systems, 婶 specifically denotes the wife of father's younger brother, reflecting the patrilineal family structure.
  • The term carries respectful and familiar connotations, often used for middle-aged women in community settings beyond strict familial relations.
  • Usage reflects Confucian values of clearly defined family roles and hierarchical relationships.

FAQ