n.
family member(s); family
家人
family member(s); family
Family members or household (家 family/home + 人 person); collective term for one's parents, siblings, or immediate kin.
Common Usage & Traps
- 我的家人 — my family members
- 家人和朋友 — family and friends
- 和家人吃饭 — eat with family
- 给家人打电话 — call family
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我的家人们我的家人Normal writing prefers 家人 for one or more family members. 家人们 sounds like livestream slang or dramatic address.
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我的家庭有爸爸妈妈我家有爸爸妈妈 / 我的家人有爸爸妈妈家庭 is the family unit, not the individual people. Use 家人 or 我家 for people.
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一个家人他是我的家人 / 我家有四口人Daily Chinese rarely counts 家人 with 个. Use 口 for household size or just 我的家人 for one member.
What's the difference between 家人 and 家庭?
家庭 is the family unit; 家人 are the actual people.
Use 家人 when you mean the people: mom, dad, siblings, spouse. Use 家庭 when you mean the family as a unit or social topic. If you talk about who came to dinner, say 我的家人来了. If you talk about family values, say 家庭很重要.
“哥哥和弟弟，姐姐和妹妹
也是我家人，也是好朋友。” (My older and younger brothers, my older and younger sisters — they're my family and also my good friends.)
“哥哥和弟弟，姐姐和妹妹
也是我家人，也是好朋友。” (My older and younger brothers, my older and younger sisters — they're my family and also my good friends.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Talking about members | 我的家人来了 | 我的家庭来了 |
| Counting household | 我家有四口人 | 我的家庭有四口人 |
Can I say 我的家人们 for 'my family members'?
Say 我的家人 for normal plurals; 家人们 sounds like livestream slang.
家人 already means one or more family members. Adding 们 is redundant in normal writing and speech. In livestreams, 家人们 works like addressing an audience as 'folks'. Do not use 我的家人们 for your actual family in an essay or serious chat.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Actual family | 我的家人都在上海 | 我的家人们都在上海 |
| Livestream audience | 家人们，大家好 | 我的家人，大家好 |
Can I say 一个家人 for 'a family member'?
一个家人 sounds off; use 他是我的家人 or 我家有几口人.
Daily Chinese rarely counts 家人 with 个. If you name one person, say 他是我的家人 or 她是家里的人. If you count everyone in the household, use 口: 我家有四口人. Avoid 一个家人 and 两个家人 in normal conversation.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One person | 他是我的家人 | 他是一个家人 |
| Household count | 我家有四口人 | 我家有四个家人 |
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this warm dialogue, a parent introduces their family at a restaurant. A teacher gently corrects common mistakes about family words and names, making it perfect for HSK 2 learners.
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A：不是，我和我的 家人 来吃饭。
This simple HSK 2 story introduces a warm family of six. Follow Little Bao and his British wife as they raise their two green-eyed children, each with their own personality.
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她最喜欢画自己的 家人 ，但是她不喜欢和弟弟一起画画儿。
Join a beginner as they ask a Chinese friend to teach them how to cook. This simple HSK 1 dialogue shows that learning one dish at a time is the best way to start.
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她的 家人 、朋友都喜欢她做的饭菜。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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家人 、朋友关系好，“谢谢”、“您”、“请”太客气，在家说话不客气，可以不说“您和请”。
This playful rhyme helps you learn family words in Chinese. Practice saying who's who with simple questions and answers!
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哥哥和弟弟，姐姐和妹妹也是我 家人 ，也是好朋友。
Enjoy this simple story about a patient and a mysterious apple. It shows how a small act of kindness can make someone feel at home, and you'll learn key words for feelings and daily life.
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家人 都不在，要多吃水果。”
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