# Chinese for meeting your partner’s family URL: https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/meeting-chinese-partners-family/ Updated: 2026-11-05 When you meet a partner’s family, short Chinese sentences are enough. The family notices what you say yourself: a greeting at the door, thanks for the tea, a word about the food. This page goes through a typical visit in order, with a phrase for each part. ## How the visit usually goes ### 1. Arriving with a gift Guests usually bring something, often fruit. The family may say you did not need to. That is just polite. Give the gift anyway. ### 2. Greeting each person Greet each person as you come in. Older relatives are called by a family title, like “grandma” or “auntie”, not by name. This is the part of the visit people notice most. ### 3. Sitting down with tea The family asks you to sit and offers tea straight away, often green or black tea. ### 4. Helping in the kitchen If they are making dumplings, they will invite you to try. Nobody expects you to be good at it. Someone will show you how. ### 5. The questions They may ask where you live, if you like it here and how long you have studied Chinese. Short answers in Chinese are what they will remember. ### 6. More food than you can eat Hosts keep putting food on your plate. Saying you are full once may not be enough. Finish the last dumpling and you may get another. ## Phrases to learn - **奶奶好** (nǎi nai hǎo): Hello, grandma - When: Say it to greet a grandmother when you come in. 奶奶 (nǎi nai, grandma) plus 好 (hǎo, good) makes a greeting. - They may say: **快进来快进来！** (kuài jìn lái kuài jìn lái!): Come in, come in! - **爷爷你好** (yé ye ní hǎo): Hello, grandpa - When: Say it to greet a grandfather. 爷爷 (yé ye, grandpa) is the title. - **阿姨** (ā yí): Auntie - When: Use it for a partner’s mother before you are married. To greet her, say 阿姨好 (ā yí hǎo, hello, auntie). - **叔叔** (shū shu): Uncle - When: Use it for a partner’s father before you are married. To greet him, say 叔叔好 (shū shu hǎo, hello, uncle). - **我想喝茶。** (wǒ xiǎng hē chá.): I want to drink tea. - When: Say it when they offer you something to drink. - They may say: **绿茶还是红茶？** (lǜ chá hái shi hóng chá?): Green tea or black tea? - **我不会** (wǒ bú huì): I don’t know how - When: Say it when they ask if you can make dumplings. They will show you how. - They may say: **不会？我教你！** (bú huì? wǒ jiāo nǐ!): Can't? I'll teach you! - **这样？** (zhè yàng?): Like this? - When: Ask it to check you are doing it right while they watch. - They may say: **对对对！** (duì duì duì!): Right right right! - **真好吃！** (zhēn hǎo chī!): Really tasty! - When: Say it about the food. Saying it more than once is normal. - **够了够了** (gòu le gòu le): That’s enough, that’s enough - When: Say it when they keep putting food on your plate. Saying it several times is normal and polite. - They may say: **多吃点多吃点！** (duō chī diǎn duō chī diǎn!): Eat more, eat more! (You usually hear this first.) Pinyin is written the way the words are said, tone changes included, the same as in the game. ## Where the game practises this Day 4 of the game is a full family visit, from buying the gift in the morning to the evening. ### Buying the gift A message invites you to make dumplings with a family the next day. In the morning, you buy fruit near the hotel. You ask the price, ask if the fruit is sweet, and say it is a gift. ### The stairwell You help an older woman carry her shopping up to the fifth floor. At the door, you find out she lives in the flat you are visiting. ### The dumpling lunch You greet the grandparents, choose a tea and learn to wrap a dumpling. The family asks where you live, and you show them your photos. They add you on WeChat, the messaging app most people in China use. At the table, they offer vinegar and chili, keep serving you and make a toast. ### Square dancing In the evening, the family takes you to the square, where neighbours dance together to music. The dancers ask if you are tired, and you try a couple of songs. Picture from the game: Making dumplings at the family table on day 4. What it shows: At a round family table, a grandmother in an apron and a grandfather rolling wrappers make dumplings with a young woman. A card asks “这是什么？” (What is this?). ## Practical tips ### Bring fruit or a small gift Good fruit, tea or something from your home country are common gifts. Your partner knows what the family likes. ### Ask your partner what to call everyone Family titles depend on the exact relationship. Before marriage, people usually call a partner’s parents 叔叔 (shū shu, uncle) and 阿姨 (ā yí, auntie), and the grandparents 爷爷 (yé ye, grandpa) and 奶奶 (nǎi nai, grandma). Your partner may tell you different ones. ### Expect slippers at the door Many families take off their shoes at the door and wear indoor slippers. They will offer you a pair. ### Leave a little on your plate In many families, an empty plate means you are still hungry, so it gets refilled. Leave a little and say you are full. You may need to say it more than once. Families differ, so watch your partner. ## Questions ### What should I say when I meet my Chinese partner’s parents? Greet each person as you come in. Say 叔叔好 (shū shu hǎo, hello, uncle) to the father and 阿姨好 (ā yí hǎo, hello, auntie) to the mother. These are the usual titles before marriage. Greet grandparents with 爷爷好 (yé ye hǎo, hello, grandpa) and 奶奶好 (nǎi nai hǎo, hello, grandma). A greeting to each person matters more than any long sentence. ### What gift should I bring to a Chinese family dinner? Fruit is the most common gift. Tea or a small specialty from your home country also work. Your partner will know what the family likes. ### How do I say “I’m full” politely in Chinese? Say 吃饱了 (chī bǎo le, I’m full) or 够了够了 (gòu le gòu le, that’s enough, that’s enough). Hosts often keep serving after the first time, so repeat it with a smile. ### How do I compliment the food in Chinese? Say 真好吃 (zhēn hǎo chī, really tasty). If you helped make the dumplings, they may ask who made one. You can answer 我包的 (wǒ bāo de, I wrapped it). ### What if I can’t understand the family? Say 听不懂，请慢一点 (tīng bu dǒng, qǐng màn yì diǎn, I don’t understand, please speak more slowly). Most families are happy to slow down for someone who is trying. Your partner can help with the rest. ### Does the game teach Cantonese for a Cantonese-speaking family? No. Very Chinese Time in My Life teaches Mandarin only. A family that speaks Cantonese or another Chinese language at home usually understands Mandarin too, but their own language sounds different. ## Related pages - [For heritage speakers who understand Chinese but don’t speak it](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/heritage-speakers-chinese/): You follow the family conversation in Chinese but answer in English. This page is about practising the answers. - [When you know Chinese from an app but freeze when you speak](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/freeze-when-speaking-chinese/): For learners who recognise the words on a screen but cannot think of them when someone asks a question. - [Chinese for your first trip to China](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/first-trip-to-china/): Ordering at a breakfast stall, asking for no chili, paying by phone, finding the metro and buying a train ticket. - [Chinese for a family trip to China with kids](https://verychinesetimeinmylife.com/for/china-trip-with-kids/): Mild food, restrooms, drinks, photo requests, a tired child, and describing someone in a crowd.