My Family
FoundationKnow your family members and their titles, draw a family tree, learn about surnames, ancestral homes and family gatherings.
- Family includes parents, siblings, and both sets of grandparents.
- A family tree shows the relationships at a glance.
- Surnames pass down from ancestors and come before given names.
文體小知識：文化知識說明文介紹我們的文化。這一篇講家庭稱謂、家庭樹、姓氏和家鄉，讓你認識自己的根。
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1Home is our warmest place. At home there are Daddy and Mummy, and brothers and sisters. Daddy's father is our paternal grandfather, Daddy's mother our paternal grandmother; Mummy's father is our maternal grandfather, Mummy's mother our maternal grandmother. Some families also have uncles, aunts and cousins. Families come in different sizes, but every family is full of love.
2To see how family members are related, draw a family tree: paternal and maternal grandparents on top, parents in the middle, and us with our brothers and sisters below. Looking at the tree, we know who is who — paternal granny is Daddy's mother, and an uncle is Mummy's brother. Ask the elders while drawing, and you will hear lovely family stories.
3Every family has a surname. In Hong Kong many classmates are surnamed Chan, Lee, Wong or Cheung. Our surname comes before our given name and usually follows Daddy's or Mummy's. Surnames pass down from our ancestors, generation after generation — people with the same surname may have come from one big family hundreds of years ago!
4Many families also have a home town, the place where grandparents were born and grew up, called the ancestral home. Some home towns are in Guangdong, some in Fujian or Shanghai. Home towns have lovely scenery and special foods, such as Shunde fish and Chiu Chow congee. At festivals the whole family returns to visit relatives and eat home-town dishes — together, united and happy. What a blessing!
1Summary 重點摘要
Know your family members and their titles, draw a family tree, learn about surnames, ancestral homes and family gatherings.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A chart shaped like a tree showing how family members are related.
Our parents' parents: paternal and maternal grandfathers and grandmothers.
The name before our given name, passed down from ancestors.
The elders of our family long, long ago.
The place where our grandparents were born and grew up.
The home town of one's father's family.
When the whole family meets to eat and celebrate.
Hearts joined together, supporting and helping one another.
Family members related by blood or marriage, like uncles and aunts.
Famous food or goods of a place.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Learn the titles of family membersKeep the family titles clear: Daddy's father is paternal grandfather, Daddy's mother paternal grandmother; Mummy's father is maternal grandfather, also called gong-gong, and Mummy's mother maternal grandmother, also called po-po. Daddy's brothers are paternal uncles, Daddy's sisters paternal aunts; Mummy's brothers are maternal uncles, Mummy's sisters maternal aunts. Their children are our cousins. Remember these titles, greet relatives correctly, and the elders will find you very polite.
- Step 2: Draw a family treeA family tree shows relationships clearly. Draw it like a real tree: on the top, paternal and maternal grandparents; on the next level, Daddy and Mummy, with uncles and aunts beside them; below, yourself with brothers and sisters, and the cousins; then join the related people with lines. When it is done, introduce it to your family: This is my family tree. Ask the elders for family stories while drawing — where Grandpa lived as a boy, for example — and you will love your home even more.
- Step 3: Learn where surnames come fromIn Chinese names the surname comes first and the given name after, as in Chan Tai-man: Chan is the surname, Tai-man the given name. Where do surnames come from? They pass down from our ancestors, generation after generation, usually the same as Daddy's or Mummy's. Common surnames in Hong Kong include Chan, Lee, Wong, Ho and Cheung. People with the same surname may once have belonged to one big family, and every surname has its own origin and stories. Ask Grandpa and Granny at home: what is the story of our surname? You will find it fascinating.
- Step 4: Learn about the ancestral homeThe ancestral home is the home town of our father's family, where our grandparents were born and grew up. Many Hong Kong pupils' ancestral homes are in Guangdong, such as Shunde, Panyu, Chiu Chow and Hakka villages; others come from Fujian, Shanghai or Hunan. A home town may have mountains and rivers, old houses and ancestral halls, and famous specialities: Shunde fish and milk, Chiu Chow congee and snacks, Fujian tea. Knowing your home town means knowing one more piece of land — and your own roots.
- Step 5: Introduce your home town's scenery and specialitiesEvery home town has scenery and specialities worth sharing. Ask your grandparents: what food is most famous there? Are there great mountains, rivers or old bridges? What happens in the village at festivals? Some home towns are famous for seafood, some grow lychees and longans, some dance the dragon and lion at New Year. Write the answers in a little book and try telling your classmates: My home town is Chiu Chow, and its congee is the best! Introducing your home town makes everyone proud.
- Step 6: Family gatherings show unityChinese families treasure gatherings: the reunion dinner at New Year, admiring the moon and eating mooncakes at Mid-Autumn, honouring ancestors at Ching Ming, and celebrating grandparents' birthdays. At a gathering the family sits around the table and the elders begin eating first; we greet the elders and listen to their old stories; brothers and sisters care for each other and help set the table and serve the relatives. When a family cares, helps and stays united, home is warm and sweet. When we grow up, we should still come home often to see our elders.
5Worked example Example
Example: The teacher asks everyone to draw a family tree and introduce one family member and how he or she is related to you. How should Long-Long introduce his paternal granny?
- Point to her place on the tree: on the top level, beside Grandpa.
- State the relation: This is my granny — Daddy's mother, my paternal grandmother.
- Say something about her: She is kind, cooks wonderful dishes, and gives us red packets at New Year.
- Add a home-town note: Her home town is Shunde; her steamed Shunde fish is the taste of our ancestral home.
- Answer: Long-Long can point to the top of the tree: This is my granny, my daddy's mother — my grandmother. She is kind and cooks beautifully, and her home town is Shunde. At New Year family dinners, I love her home-town dishes most.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What do we call Daddy's mother?
Q2What do we call Mummy's brother?
Q3Where does the surname usually go?
Q4What is an ancestral home?
Q5What do family gatherings mean?
8Recap Recap
- Family includes parents, siblings, and both sets of grandparents.
- A family tree shows the relationships at a glance.
- Surnames pass down from ancestors and come before given names.
- The ancestral home is grandparents' home town, with scenery and specialities.
- Family gatherings reunite us — unity is happiness.