甥 (shēng) - Nephew — specifically refers to a sister's son.

甥Tone 1

shēng ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

甥 · shēng

Nephew — specifically refers to a sister's son.

In traditional Chinese kinship terms, it distinguishes the sister's son from the brother's son (侄).

Nephew — specifically refers to a sister's son.

Usage highlights

NephewSister's sonNephew and uncleGrandnephewNephew's wifeBrother's nephew

Synonyms

  • 外甥— Sister's son (more specific term)
  • 侄— Brother's son (different relationship)

Antonyms

  • 舅— Maternal uncle (opposite relationship)
  • 姨— Maternal aunt (female counterpart relationship)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My sister's son is my nephew (外甥).
  • He is the nephew of the emperor (外甥 of the emperor).
  • She loves her nephew very much (她很爱她的外甥).
  • The nephew resembles his uncle (外甥像舅舅).

Collocations

  • Nephew(外甥)
  • Sister's son(外甥子)
  • Nephew and uncle(甥舅)
  • Nephew-in-law(甥婿)
  • Grandnephew(甥孙)
  • Nephew's wife(甥媳)

Idioms

  • The nephew does not betray his uncle(甥不叛舅)
  • Like uncle, like nephew(甥舅一家)
  • Nephews and nieces gathered together(甥侄满堂)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese kinship systems, 甥 specifically denotes a sister's son, reflecting the patrilineal family structure where children belong to the father's lineage.
  • The character 甥 appears in ancient texts like the Book of Songs, indicating its long history in Chinese family relationships.
  • The term carries implications of family obligation and the special bond between maternal uncles and nephews in Chinese culture.

FAQ