请看下表:
汉语词
英语词
必要的英语解释
祖父(母)
grandfather paternal grandfather(mother)
外祖父(母)
grandmother maternal grandfather(mother)
父亲
father
母亲
mother
兄(姐)
brother elder brother(sister)
弟(妹)
(sister) younger
brother(sister)
伯父
elder brother
叔父
younger brother
姑父
husband of father's sister
舅父
mother's brother
姨父
husband of mother's sister
姐夫
husband of elder sister
妹夫
husband of younger sister
上表仅列出部分亲属关系,至于“姨公(婆)”、“堂(表)兄弟(姐妹)”、“嫂子”、“弟妹”、“小舅子”、“侄”、“外甥”等用更细致的方式来区分的亲属关系,在交际中所造成的困难更大。西方人对这些汉语称呼束手无策。relative(亲戚)一词简单得多,就用它来表示一切亲戚关系。