叔叔 (shū shu) — father's younger brother; (polite address) uncle (for unrelated middle-aged men)

Definition

Father's younger brother. Use 伯伯 for father's older brother and 舅舅 for mother's brother.

noun
father's younger brother(polite address) uncle (for unrelated middle-aged men)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 叔叔
    Wǒ shū shu zhù zài běi jīng.
    My uncle lives in Beijing.
  • 叔叔
    Zhè shì shū shu gěi wǒ de lǐ wù.
    This is a gift from my uncle.
  • 叔叔
    Nǐ hǎo, shū shu!
    Hello, uncle!

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

shūuncle
shūuncle

The uncle idea 叔 is repeated, giving the familiar word 叔叔.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • shūwooden stake
  • yòuhand

The shape has 又 (a hand) and 尗 (a wooden stake), showing a hand putting the stake into the ground.

Open 叔 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • shūwooden stake
  • yòuhand

The shape has 又 (a hand) and 尗 (a wooden stake), showing a hand putting the stake into the ground.

Open 叔 →

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