Meaning of 姑姑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- paternal aunt
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 姑姑
姑姑 is what you call your father's sister, both when talking about her and when addressing her directly. It is common in everyday family conversation. Example: 我姑姑住在上海。(Wǒ gūgu zhù zài Shànghǎi.) My aunt lives in Shanghai.
姑 (gū) combines 女 (woman) with 古 (gǔ, old), which also hints at the sound. Think of an older woman in your father's family, and say it twice like many family words, 姑姑.
Common mistake: Learners often use 姑姑 for any aunt, but your mother's sister is 阿姨 (āyí) or 姨妈 (yímā), and your uncle's wife is a different term again. Also, the second 姑 is in the neutral tone, so say gūgu, not gūgū.
姑姑 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
姑 gū · father's sister · 8 strokes
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姑 gū · father's sister · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 姑姑.
Questions about 姑姑
What does 姑姑 mean?
姑姑 (gūgu) means "paternal aunt" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 姑姑?
姑姑 is made of 2 characters: 姑 (8 strokes), 姑 (8 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 姑姑 an HSK word?
Yes. 姑姑 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 姑姑 and 姑妈?
Both mean father's sister. 姑妈 (gūmā) is more colloquial and traditionally refers to a married paternal aunt, while 姑姑 is the most common general term.
Does 姑娘 mean aunt too?
No. 姑娘 (gūniang) means girl or young woman, even though it shares the character 姑. Calling your aunt 姑娘 would sound odd.