Unit 1 Notes: Family Structures and Values (AP Chinese Language and Culture)

家庭 (family)

Both a private unit (love, daily life, personal decisions) and a social system with expected roles, responsibilities, and respectful language.

家庭结构 (family structure)

How a household is organized—who lives together and how responsibilities are shared.

核心家庭 (nuclear family)

Parents and children living together, often common in urban settings.

大家庭 / 扩大家庭 (extended family)

A family network including grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, etc.; highlights broader kin connections beyond parents and children.

三代同堂 (three generations under one roof)

A living arrangement emphasizing closeness and shared caregiving among grandparents, parents, and children.

单亲家庭 (single-parent family)

A household headed by one parent raising child(ren).

重组家庭 (blended/reconstituted family)

A family formed through remarriage where partners may bring children from previous relationships.

隔代抚养 (grandparents raising grandchildren)

Grandparents providing major childcare or raising grandchildren, often due to parents’ work demands or living away for jobs.

责任 (responsibility)

A core family value emphasizing duties people should fulfill within family roles.

互相照顾 (mutual care)

The idea that family members look after and support each other in practical and emotional ways.

孝顺 (filial piety)

Caring for and respecting parents/elders through respectful behavior, considering their feelings, offering practical help, and maintaining emotional connection.

面子 (face)

Social dignity/reputation; often influences indirect or softer conflict management to avoid embarrassment.

家规 (family rules)

Household expectations (e.g., curfew, study time, spending, how to speak to elders) that guide behavior at home.

沟通方式 (communication style)

How family members express opinions and care; may differ by generation (e.g., restraint vs. direct emotional expression).

代沟 (generation gap)

Differences in values and communication between generations that require negotiation, not necessarily a “broken” family.

习俗 (custom)

A repeated social practice—what people usually do in daily or seasonal life.

仪式 (ceremony)

A more formal event with symbolic steps (e.g., weddings, funerals) that expresses shared meaning and values.

传统 (tradition)

Repeated practices/rituals that create continuity—reinforcing belonging, duty, and remembrance even if the form modernizes.

团圆 (reunion)

Family togetherness, especially emphasized during major holidays like Chinese New Year.

年夜饭 (New Year’s Eve reunion dinner)

A Chinese New Year gathering meal focused on coming together and reaffirming family ties more than specific dishes.

拜年 (New Year visits/greetings)

Visiting elders/relatives during Chinese New Year to offer good wishes and maintain relationships.

红包 (red envelope)

Money given (often from older to younger) during holidays as a symbol of blessing and good luck, not simply “payment.”

中秋节 (Mid-Autumn Festival)

A festival linked to gathering and connection across distance (often tied to the shared full moon), including check-ins and gift-giving.

清明节 (Tomb-Sweeping Day)

A time for remembrance and respect for ancestors, reinforcing gratitude, roots, and family history.

扫墓 (tomb-sweeping)

The act of visiting and tending ancestors’ graves as a way to honor the deceased and teach family remembrance and responsibility.