HSK Level 6

亲属

qīn shǔ

kinsfolk; relatives; cognate

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Example Sentences

我的亲属都在中国。

Wǒ de qīnshǔ dōu zài zhōngguó.

My relatives are all in China.

我有一个亲戚在北京工作。

Wǒ yǒu yī ge qīnshù zài běijīng gōngzuò.

I have a relative who works in Beijing.

我们都是亲戚,应该互相帮助。

Wǒmen dōu shì qīnshù, yīnggāi hùxiāng bāngzhù.

We are all relatives, we should help each other.

Synonyms

亲戚 (qīn qì)

relatives

家属 (jiā shǔ)

family members

Antonyms

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 亲属 (qīnshǔ) for "relatives" is composed of two characters: 亲 (qīn) and 属 (shǔ). The character 亲 originally meant "to be close to" or "to be intimate", and it is often used to refer to family members or close friends. The character 属 originally meant "to belong to" or "to be related to", and it is often used to refer to a group or category of people. When these two characters are combined, they form the word 亲属, which refers to people who are related to each other by blood or marriage.The word 亲属 can be used in a variety of contexts. For example, it can be used to refer to one's immediate family members, such as one's parents, siblings, and children. It can also be used to refer to more distant relatives, such as one's grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. In addition, the word 亲属 can be used to refer to people who are related to each other by marriage, such as one's spouse, in-laws, and stepchildren.The word 亲属 is an important part of Chinese culture. Chinese people place a great deal of importance on family and relationships, and the word 亲属 reflects this. The word 亲属 is also used in a variety of legal and official contexts, such as in birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates.