姑婆
gūpó
The Chinese phrase for great aunt is 姑婆 (gūpó), which refers to the sister of one's grandparent.
姑婆 is used to identify the sister of your paternal grandfather.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a compound of 姑 (gū), meaning paternal aunt and 婆 (pó), meaning grandmother or elderly woman.
Which one should you use?
While 姑姑 (gūgu) is used for your father's sister (your paternal aunt), 姑婆 is used specifically for the sister of your grandfather. Additionally, if you are referring to the sister of your maternal grandmother, you should use 姨婆 (yípó) instead of 姑婆.
How do you pronounce it?
gūpó
Did you know?
- In many Chinese families, you might call a stranger 姑婆 if she is clearly of your grandmother's generation, even if there is no biological connection.
- Using the correct term for a great aunt is a key way to demonstrate 'liyi', or the Confucian concept of proper social etiquette and ritual propriety.
- Depending on the region or dialect, some families may add a number to 姑婆 to specify if she is the eldest, second or youngest sister of the grandparent.
Examples in context
- 我的姑婆住在上海。Wǒ de gūpó zhù zài Shànghǎi.My great aunt lives in Shanghai.
- 那位老太太是我的姑婆。Nà wèi lǎo tàitai shì wǒ de gūpó.That elderly lady is my great aunt.
- 我昨天去看了姑婆。Wǒ zuótiān qù kàn le gūpó.I went to visit my great aunt yesterday.
Example conversation
Two cousins are talking about their family members during a holiday.
- 梓涵 Zihan浩然，你还记得我们的姑婆吗？Hàorán, nǐ hái jìde wǒmen de gūpó ma?Haoran, do you still remember our great aunt?
- 浩然 Haoran当然记得，她总是带好吃的。Dāngrán jìde, tā zǒng shì dài hào chī de.Of course I remember, she always brings delicious food.
- 梓涵 Zihan她最近身体还好吗？Tā zuìjìn shēntǐ hái hǎo ma?Is her health doing well lately?
- 浩然 Haoran挺好的，她最近很精神。Tǐng hǎo de, tā zuìjìn hěn jīngshen.Quite well, she has been very energetic lately.
