叔叔

• Pinyin: shū shu
• Hanzi breakdown: 叔 = 尗 (phonetic) + 又 (hand), originally meaning the younger of brothers

Meaning

Uncle (father's younger brother); a polite form of address for a man of one's parents' generation.

Specifically refers to a father's younger brother in the kinship system. Also widely used as a polite form of address for any man roughly the same age as one's parents, even if unrelated. Children commonly use it to address adult men.

Examples

1. 叔叔每年过年都会给我压岁钱。 Uncle always gives me lucky money during Chinese New Year.
2. 小朋友，你叔叔在哪儿工作？ Little one, where does your uncle work?
3. 隔壁的王叔叔经常带我们去公园玩。 Uncle Wang next door often takes us to the park to play.

Usage Guide

Context: family, everyday

Tone: affectionate

Do Say

• 叔叔好！好久不见了。(Hello, uncle! Long time no see.)
• 我叔叔是一名警察。(My uncle is a police officer.)

Don't Say

• 对一位年轻男性说'叔叔'。(Don't call a young man 叔叔 — it implies he is middle-aged. Use 哥哥 for someone close to your own age.)

Origin & History

Reduplication of 叔, which originally referred to the third-eldest brother, later narrowed to father's younger brother.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal