Lesson 2: Family Members and Personal Descriptions
Learn to describe your family, use measure words, and form basic descriptive sentences in Mandarin Chinese.
Lesson 2: Family Members and Personal Descriptions 👨👩👧👦
Introduction
Welcome to Lesson 2! Now that you can introduce yourself and exchange basic greetings, it's time to talk about the people closest to you—your family (家人 jiārén). In this lesson, you'll learn how to describe family members, use measure words (量词 liàngcí), and create simple descriptive sentences. These skills are essential for HSK 1-2 preparation and everyday conversations in Mandarin.
💡 Pro Tip: Family is central to Chinese culture. Learning family terms isn't just vocabulary—it's understanding how Chinese society values relationships!
Core Concepts 📚
1. Family Member Vocabulary 👪
Chinese family terms are more specific than English. The language distinguishes between maternal and paternal relatives, older and younger siblings, and more.
Immediate Family:
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| father | 爸爸 | bàba |
| mother | 妈妈 | māma |
| older brother | 哥哥 | gēge |
| younger brother | 弟弟 | dìdi |
| older sister | 姐姐 | jiějie |
| younger sister | 妹妹 | mèimei |
| son | 儿子 | érzi |
| daughter | 女儿 | nǚ'ér |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
🗣️ Pronunciation Guide:
- 爸爸 (bàba): "bah-bah" - both syllables use falling tone (4th tone)
- 妈妈 (māma): "mah-mah" - both syllables use high level tone (1st tone)
- 哥哥 (gēge): "guh-guh" - high level tone on both syllables
🎭 Cultural Note: Chinese children often duplicate syllables when addressing family members (爸爸, 妈妈, 哥哥) as terms of endearment. This makes the words sound more affectionate and informal.
Extended Family:
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| grandfather | 爷爷 | yéye (paternal) |
| | 外公 | wàigōng (maternal)|
| grandmother | 奶奶 | nǎinai (paternal)|
| | 外婆 | wàipó (maternal) |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
🤔 Did you know? The character 外 (wài) means "outside" and is used for maternal relatives because traditionally, the mother came from "outside" the family line!
2. The Magic Word 有 (yǒu) - "To Have" ✨
有 (yǒu) is one of the most useful verbs in Chinese, meaning "to have" or "there is/are."
Structure:
Subject + 有 + Object
Basic Pattern:
- 我有哥哥。(Wǒ yǒu gēge.) = I have an older brother.
- 他有女儿。(Tā yǒu nǚ'ér.) = He has a daughter.
- 她有妹妹。(Tā yǒu mèimei.) = She has a younger sister.
Negative Form - 没有 (méiyǒu):
⚠️ Critical Rule: To negate 有, you CANNOT use 不 (bù). You MUST use 没 (méi)!
✅ CORRECT: 我没有弟弟。(Wǒ méiyǒu dìdi.) = I don't have a younger brother.
❌ WRONG: 我不有弟弟。
🧠 Mnemonic: Think of 没 (méi) as "there's nothing/none" - it naturally pairs with "have" because you're saying you have NONE of something.
3. Measure Words (量词 liàngcí) - The Counting System 🔢
In Chinese, you cannot directly put a number before a noun. You need a measure word (also called classifier) between them.
English vs. Chinese:
English: three people
Chinese: 三 个 人
(three [MW] people)
The Universal Measure Word: 个 (gè)
个 (gè) is the most common measure word and works for people and many objects. When in doubt, use 个!
Structure:
Number + 个 + Noun
Examples:
- 一个人 (yí ge rén) = one person
- 两个哥哥 (liǎng ge gēge) = two older brothers
- 三个妹妹 (sān ge mèimei) = three younger sisters
Special Number Note: 一 (yī) vs. 两 (liǎng)
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
| Context | Use 一 (yī) | Use 两 (liǎng) |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
| Counting | 一, 二, 三... | (not used) |
| Before MW | 一个人 | 两个人 |
| Number "two" | ✓ | ✓ (preferred) |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
💡 Quick Rule: For the number "two" before measure words, use 两 (liǎng), not 二 (èr).
- ✅ 两个人 (liǎng ge rén) = two people
- ❌ 二个人 (èr ge rén) = sounds unnatural
4. Descriptive Sentences with 很 (hěn) 🎨
To describe someone or something, Chinese uses the particle 很 (hěn) which technically means "very" but functions more like "is" in simple descriptive sentences.
Structure:
Subject + 很 + Adjective
Key Adjectives for People:
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
| tall/high | 高 | gāo |
| short/low | 矮 | ǎi |
| big | 大 | dà |
| small | 小 | xiǎo |
| good/well | 好 | hǎo |
| pretty/beautiful | 漂亮 | piàoliang |
| handsome | 帅 | shuài |
| busy | 忙 | máng |
+------------------+----------+------------------+
Examples:
- 我哥哥很高。(Wǒ gēge hěn gāo.) = My older brother is tall.
- 她很漂亮。(Tā hěn piàoliang.) = She is pretty.
- 爸爸很忙。(Bàba hěn máng.) = Dad is busy.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't forget 很! In simple sentences without comparison, 很 is needed:
- ✅ 他很高。(Tā hěn gāo.) = He is tall.
- ❌ 他高。(Tā gāo.) = sounds like you're comparing him to someone
Using 也 (yě) - "Also/Too":
When you want to say someone is "also" something, use 也 (yě) BEFORE 很:
Subject + 也 + 很 + Adjective
- 我妹妹也很高。(Wǒ mèimei yě hěn gāo.) = My younger sister is also tall.
- 他也很忙。(Tā yě hěn máng.) = He is also busy.
Detailed Examples 💬
Example 1: Introducing Your Family
🎭 Scenario: You're showing photos to a new Chinese friend and describing your family.
Dialogue:
You: 这是我的家人。(Zhè shì wǒ de jiārén.)
This is my family.
Friend: 你有几个兄弟姐妹？(Nǐ yǒu jǐ ge xiōngdì jiěmèi?)
How many siblings do you have?
You: 我有一个哥哥和一个妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu yí ge gēge hé yí ge mèimei.)
I have one older brother and one younger sister.
Friend: 你哥哥高吗？(Nǐ gēge gāo ma?)
Is your older brother tall?
You: 他很高。(Tā hěn gāo.)
He is tall.
Character Breakdown:
- 这 (zhè) = this
- 是 (shì) = is/am/are
- 的 (de) = possessive particle (like 's in English)
- 和 (hé) = and (connects nouns)
🔤 Word Root: Notice how 兄弟姐妹 (xiōngdì jiěmèi) combines all four sibling terms to mean "siblings" collectively. Chinese loves these compound words!
Example 2: Counting Family Members
🎭 Scenario: Your teacher asks about your family size.
Dialogue:
Teacher: 你家有几个人？(Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ ge rén?)
How many people are in your family?
You: 我家有五个人。(Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ ge rén.)
My family has five people.
Teacher: 都有谁？(Dōu yǒu shéi?)
Who are they?
You: 有爸爸、妈妈、哥哥、妹妹和我。
(Yǒu bàba, māma, gēge, mèimei hé wǒ.)
There's Dad, Mom, older brother, younger sister, and me.
Key Pattern:
- 几 (jǐ) = how many (expecting small number)
- 家 (jiā) = family/home
- 都 (dōu) = all
- 谁 (shéi/shuí) = who
💡 Grammar Tip: Notice how you can start a sentence with 有 when listing items - it's like saying "There is/are..."
Example 3: Describing Family Members
🎭 Scenario: You're writing about your family in Chinese class.
Written Passage:
我家有四个人：爸爸、妈妈、弟弟和我。
(Wǒ jiā yǒu sì ge rén: bàba, māma, dìdi hé wǒ.)
My family has four people: Dad, Mom, younger brother, and me.
我爸爸很高，也很帅。
(Wǒ bàba hěn gāo, yě hěn shuài.)
My dad is tall and also handsome.
我妈妈很漂亮。她很忙。
(Wǒ māma hěn piàoliang. Tā hěn máng.)
My mom is beautiful. She is busy.
我弟弟很小。他五岁。
(Wǒ dìdi hěn xiǎo. Tā wǔ suì.)
My younger brother is small. He is five years old.
New Word:
- 岁 (suì) = years old (measure word for age)
🎯 Common Expression: When stating age, Chinese uses: Number + 岁
- 我二十岁。(Wǒ èrshí suì.) = I'm 20 years old.
Example 4: A Complete Family Introduction
🎭 Real-World Application: Meeting your language exchange partner's family online.
Extended Dialogue:
Partner: 给你介绍一下我的家人。(Gěi nǐ jièshào yíxià wǒ de jiārén.)
Let me introduce my family to you.
Partner: 这是我爸爸，他很高。(Zhè shì wǒ bàba, tā hěn gāo.)
This is my dad, he's tall.
You: 你好！(Nǐ hǎo!) Hello!
Partner: 这是我妈妈，她很好。(Zhè shì wǒ māma, tā hěn hǎo.)
This is my mom, she's nice.
You: 你妈妈很漂亮！(Nǐ māma hěn piàoliang!)
Your mom is beautiful!
Partner: 谢谢！我还有一个姐姐。(Xièxie! Wǒ hái yǒu yí ge jiějie.)
Thanks! I also have an older sister.
You: 你们家有几个人？(Nǐmen jiā yǒu jǐ ge rén?)
How many people are in your family?
Partner: 四个人。(Sì ge rén.) Four people.
New Useful Phrases:
- 给你介绍 (gěi nǐ jièshào) = let me introduce (to you)
- 还 (hái) = also/still/in addition
- 们 (men) = plural marker (你们 = you all)
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake 1: Using 不 instead of 没 with 有
❌ Wrong: 我不有妹妹。(Wǒ bù yǒu mèimei.) ✅ Correct: 我没有妹妹。(Wǒ méiyǒu mèimei.) = I don't have a younger sister.
Why: 有 (yǒu) is special - it ALWAYS uses 没 (méi) for negation, never 不 (bù).
Mistake 2: Forgetting the Measure Word
❌ Wrong: 我有两哥哥。(Wǒ yǒu liǎng gēge.) ✅ Correct: 我有两个哥哥。(Wǒ yǒu liǎng ge gēge.) = I have two older brothers.
Why: In Chinese, numbers cannot directly modify nouns. You MUST insert a measure word (个) between them.
Mistake 3: Using 二 instead of 两 Before Measure Words
❌ Wrong: 我有二个妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu èr ge mèimei.) ✅ Correct: 我有两个妹妹。(Wǒ yǒu liǎng ge mèimei.) = I have two younger sisters.
Why: Before measure words, always use 两 (liǎng) for "two," not 二 (èr).
Mistake 4: Omitting 很 in Simple Descriptive Sentences
❌ Wrong: 我妈妈漂亮。(Wǒ māma piàoliang.) - sounds comparative ✅ Correct: 我妈妈很漂亮。(Wǒ māma hěn piàoliang.) = My mom is beautiful.
Why: Without 很, the sentence sounds like you're making a comparison. Always include 很 in basic descriptive statements.
Mistake 5: Wrong Word Order with 也
❌ Wrong: 我哥哥很也高。(Wǒ gēge hěn yě gāo.) ✅ Correct: 我哥哥也很高。(Wǒ gēge yě hěn gāo.) = My older brother is also tall.
Why: 也 (yě) must come BEFORE 很 (hěn), not after.
🔧 Try This: Mini-Exercises
Exercise 1: Describe three members of your family using 很 + adjective.
Example: 我妈妈很好。(Wǒ māma hěn hǎo.) My mom is nice.
Exercise 2: Count how many family members you have and state it in Chinese.
Example: 我家有六个人。(Wǒ jiā yǒu liù ge rén.) My family has six people.
Exercise 3: Negate this sentence: 我有姐姐。
Answer: 我没有姐姐。(I don't have an older sister.)
📖 Mini-Story: 我的家 (My Family)
Here's a story using all the vocabulary from this lesson:
我叫李明。我家有五个人：爷爷、奶奶、爸爸、妈妈和我。
(Wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng. Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ ge rén: yéye, nǎinai, bàba, māma hé wǒ.)
My name is Li Ming. My family has five people: grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, and me.
我爷爷很好。我奶奶也很好。
(Wǒ yéye hěn hǎo. Wǒ nǎinai yě hěn hǎo.)
My grandpa is nice. My grandma is also nice.
我爸爸很高，很帅。他很忙。
(Wǒ bàba hěn gāo, hěn shuài. Tā hěn máng.)
My dad is tall and handsome. He is busy.
我妈妈很漂亮。她也很忙。
(Wǒ māma hěn piàoliang. Tā yě hěn máng.)
My mom is beautiful. She is also busy.
我没有哥哥。我也没有弟弟。
(Wǒ méiyǒu gēge. Wǒ yě méiyǒu dìdi.)
I don't have an older brother. I also don't have a younger brother.
我有一个妹妹。她很小。她五岁。
(Wǒ yǒu yí ge mèimei. Tā hěn xiǎo. Tā wǔ suì.)
I have one younger sister. She is small. She is five years old.
🧠 Reading Tip: Try reading this aloud three times. First, slowly while looking at pinyin. Second, at normal speed. Third, without looking at pinyin!
Key Takeaways 🎯
- Family vocabulary distinguishes between older/younger siblings and maternal/paternal relatives
- 有 (yǒu) means "to have" and is negated with 没有 (méiyǒu), never 不有
- Measure word 个 (gè) goes between numbers and nouns: Number + 个 + Noun
- Use 两 (liǎng) for "two" before measure words, not 二 (èr)
- 很 (hěn) links subjects to adjectives in simple descriptive sentences
- 也 (yě) means "also" and comes BEFORE 很 in sentences
- When stating age, use: Number + 岁 (suì)
📋 Quick Reference Card
+==================== FAMILY & DESCRIPTIONS ====================+
| IMMEDIATE FAMILY |
| 爸爸 (bàba) = father | 妈妈 (māma) = mother |
| 哥哥 (gēge) = older bro | 姐姐 (jiějie) = older sis |
| 弟弟 (dìdi) = younger bro | 妹妹 (mèimei) = younger sis |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| KEY PATTERNS |
| 有: Subject + 有 + Object (I have...) |
| Negative: Subject + 没有 + Object (I don't have...) |
| Count: Number + 个 + Noun (three people) |
| Describe: Subject + 很 + Adjective (She is tall) |
| Also: Subject + 也 + 很 + Adjective (He is also busy) |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| REMEMBER |
| ✓ Use 没 (not 不) to negate 有 |
| ✓ Always use measure word 个 between number and noun |
| ✓ Use 两 (not 二) for "two" before measure words |
| ✓ Include 很 in basic descriptive sentences |
| ✓ 也 comes BEFORE 很 |
+================================================================+
📚 Further Study
- HSK 1 Vocabulary List: https://www.digmandarin.com/hsk-1-vocabulary-list.html - Complete word list with audio
- Chinese Grammar Wiki - 有: https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_existence_with_%22you%22 - Detailed explanation of 有 usage
- Measure Words Guide: https://www.hackingchinese.com/a-guide-to-chinese-measure-words/ - Comprehensive guide to classifiers
Congratulations! 恭喜！(Gōngxǐ!) You can now talk about your family and describe people in Mandarin Chinese. Practice these patterns daily, and you'll be ready to move on to more complex sentence structures in Lesson 3! 加油！(Jiāyóu! - Keep it up!)