Firstly, ASCII IPA renderings of the character readings are given. For a chart, click here. I have used the tone contours of Shatoujiao, as I say them, so they may not be the same for all and every speaker of Hakka.
I'd just like to make it clear that some of these terms are probably not used, and more theoretical than used everyday. There is a short verse which is a rough measure of how 'related' we are to family members stemming from a female's side of the family.
All descendents who share a common male ancestor and retain the ancestor's surname are known as the paternal kin, or "tong2" /toN11/. In relation to oneself, the sons and daughters of one's paternal uncles and brothers are part of the greater tong family circle.
Grandmother's side of the family. Grandmother's blood relatives who share her surname and their spouses.
Chinese family relationships are firmly based on the unit of the 'generation', toi4 /t'Oi53/.
The use of "older" and "younger" are in comparison to the age of a relative of the same generation as one's direct ancestor.
Comapared to western family kinship terms, those folks who are of the same generation as oneself, either as a cousin via an uncle (or more distantly related relations who are of the same generation) are called brothers and sisters. Likewise, those of the same generation as one's parent's are refered to as uncles and aunts. In English, these cousins are many times removed, but in Chinese, there are no indications as to how close these relations are.
When a daughter married, she is said to have been 'sold', and effectively, her offspring are those of her husband's family and hence outside of her father's family.. This is indicated by the word 'ngoi4' /NOi53/, which means 'outside'. Her bride's parents have thus "sold their daughter", or, 'mai4 moi4 zi1; /mai53 moi53 tsi.33/.
4. Older Great Uncle /t'ai53 k'iu33 kuN33/, Great Aunt /t'ai53 k'iu34 NiON11/
5. Older Great Aunt /t'ai53 ji11 p'O11/
6. Younger Great Uncle /k'iu33 kuN33/, Great Aunt /k'iu35 p'O11/
7. Younger Great Aunt /ji11 p'O11/
8. Great Grandfather /tsia32 kuN33 t'ai53/, Great Grandmother /tsia32 p'O11 t'ai53/
9. Older Great Great Uncle /t'ai53 k'iu33 kuN33 t'ai53/, Great Great Aunt /t'ai53 k'iu33 p'O11 t'ai53/
10. Older Great Great Aunt t'ai53 ji11 p'O11 t'ai53/
11. Younger Great Great Uncle /k'iu33 kuN33 t'ai53/, Great Great Aunt /k'iu35 p'O11 t'ai53/
12. Younger Great Great Aunt /ji11 p'O11 t'ai53/
13. Great Great Grandparent /p'ak5 t'ai53/
14. Older Male "First Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 pak3/, his spouse /piau32 NiON11/
15. Older Female "First Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 t'ai53 ku33/
16. Younger Male "First Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 suk3/
17. Younger Fale "First Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 ku33/
18. Older Male "Second Cousin" /piau32 kO3/, his spouse /piau32 sau32/
19. Older Female "Second Cousin" /piau32 tsia32/
20. Younger Male "Second Cousin" /piau32 t'i53/
21. Younger Female "Second Cousin" /piau32 mOi53/
22. Male "Second Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 ts'it5/
23. Female "Second Cousin Once Removed" /piau32 ts'it5/
Other Relationships not shown directly
The kinship trees above forms a general framework on how to relate to family relationships in Hakka. There is a repetitive nature to this system, which may confuse because of the English terminology. Remember right at the start we said:
Chinese family relationships are firmly based on the unit of the 'generation', toi4 /t'Oi53/.
The use of "older" and "younger" are in comparison to the age of a relative of the same generation as one's direct ancestor.
We therefore count cousins who are in the same generation as oneself from a common ancestor as being "brothers and sisters". Those who are in our parent's generation are therefore our "uncles and aunts" and so on, even though they may be our nth cousins several times removed.
