jiātíng: 家庭 - Family, Household

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• Summary for Search Engines: Discover the deep meaning of “家庭” (jiātíng), the Chinese word for family and household. This page explores not just the translation, but the profound cultural significance of family in China, its connection to Confucian values, and its practical use in modern Mandarin. Learn the crucial difference between 家庭 (the family unit), 家人 (family members), and 家 (home) to speak more like a native.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiātíng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A family, household, or domestic unit.
• In a Nutshell: `家庭` refers to the family as a social and domestic unit, often implying a shared home and life together. While “family” in English can be an abstract group of relatives, `家庭` is more concrete. It's the group of people living under one roof, sharing finances, and functioning as a single entity. It represents the foundational building block of society.

• 家 (jiā): This character is a pictograph of a roof (宀) over a pig (豕). In ancient China, pigs were a symbol of wealth and sustenance. Therefore, a roof over a pig represented a home—a place of shelter, food, and family. It carries the core meaning of “home” and “family.”
• 庭 (tíng): This character originally referred to the central courtyard or main hall of a house (广 “shelter” + 廷 “court”). This was the primary space where family members would gather, make important decisions, and conduct daily life. It signifies the physical space of the household.

Combining 家 (jiā - the family/home) with 庭 (tíng - the courtyard/hall) creates `家庭`, a word that beautifully fuses the concept of the family members with the physical space they inhabit. It is the “family-in-the-home.”

`家庭` is arguably one of the most important concepts in Chinese culture, deeply rooted in Confucianism. It is seen as the primary unit of society, far more so than the individual.

• Comparison to Western “Family”: In the West, “family” can often refer to a broad, dispersed network of relatives (“My family is spread out across the country”). The emphasis is often on the emotional bond. `家庭` has a much stronger connotation of a co-habitating, economically-intertwined unit. It is the immediate, functional household. While a son who moves to another city is still part of the wider `家族` (clan), his new apartment with his wife and child forms a new, separate `家庭`.
• Collectivism and Harmony: The interests of the `家庭` traditionally supersede the desires of the individual. Values like `孝顺 (xiàoshùn)`, or filial piety, dictate that children must respect, obey, and care for their parents and elders. Maintaining harmony within the `家庭` is paramount, and individual actions are judged by how they reflect upon the entire family unit. Bringing honor or shame to one's `家庭` is a powerful social force.

`家庭` is a common and essential word used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Everyday Conversation: People use it to talk about their family background (`家庭背景`), family life (`家庭生活`), and family structure. For example, a friend might ask, “你的家庭是什么样的？” (Nǐ de jiātíng shì shénme yàng de? - What is your family like?).
• Formal and Official Use: The term is used in official documents, sociology, and news reports. Examples include `家庭收入` (family income), `家庭暴力` (domestic violence), and `单亲家庭` (single-parent family).
• Compound Words: It forms many useful compound words, like `家庭主妇` (housewife) and `家庭作业` (homework, literally “family-at-home-work”). Its connotation is generally neutral and descriptive.

• Example 1: 他出生在一个幸福的家庭。
• Pinyin: Tā chūshēng zài yī gè xìngfú de jiātíng.
• English: He was born into a happy family.
• Analysis: This is a classic, descriptive use of `家庭` to refer to the family unit one is raised in.
• Example 2: 家庭对孩子们的成长有很重要的影响。
• Pinyin: Jiātíng duì háizi men de chéngzhǎng yǒu hěn zhòngyào de yǐngxiǎng.
• English: The family has a very important influence on children's development.
• Analysis: Here, `家庭` is used as a sociological concept—the family environment as a whole.
• Example 3: 她的家庭背景很复杂。
• Pinyin: Tā de jiātíng bèijǐng hěn fùzá.
• English: Her family background is very complicated.
• Analysis: `家庭背景 (jiātíng bèijǐng)` is a set phrase referring to one's social and economic origins.
• Example 4: 我们是一个普通的工薪家庭。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen shì yī gè pǔtōng de gōngxīn jiātíng.
• English: We are an ordinary working-class family.
• Analysis: `家庭` is used here to classify the family by its economic status (`工薪 gōngxīn` - salaried/waged).
• Example 5: 越来越多的年轻人选择组建核心家庭。
• Pinyin: Yuèláiyuè duō de niánqīngrén xuǎnzé zǔjiàn héxīn jiātíng.
• English: More and more young people are choosing to form nuclear families.
• Analysis: `核心家庭 (héxīn jiātíng)` is a specific term for a nuclear family (parents and children), as opposed to a multi-generational one.
• Example 6: 她为了照顾孩子，成了一名家庭主妇。
• Pinyin: Tā wèile zhàogù háizi, chéngle yī míng jiātíng zhǔfù.
• English: In order to take care of the children, she became a housewife.
• Analysis: `家庭主妇 (jiātíng zhǔfù)` is a common term for a housewife, someone whose main occupation is managing the household.
• Example 7: 什么是你的理想家庭生活？
• Pinyin: Shénme shì nǐ de lǐxiǎng jiātíng shēnghuó?
• English: What is your ideal family life?
• Analysis: `家庭生活 (jiātíng shēnghuó)` refers to the day-to-day life and activities within a family.
• Example 8: 现在很多学校都注重家庭教育。
• Pinyin: Xiànzài hěn duō xuéxiào dōu zhùzhòng jiātíng jiàoyù.
• English: Nowadays, many schools emphasize family education (parenting).
• Analysis: This refers to the education and values taught at home, which is seen as a crucial complement to school education.
• Example 9: 这个社区有很多单亲家庭。
• Pinyin: Zhè ge shèqū yǒu hěn duō dānqīn jiātíng.
• English: This community has many single-parent families.
• Analysis: `单亲家庭 (dānqīn jiātíng)` is the standard term for a single-parent family.
• Example 10: 他们的家庭观念很传统。
• Pinyin: Tāmen de jiātíng guānniàn hěn chuántǒng.
• English: Their concept of family is very traditional.
• Analysis: `家庭观念 (jiātíng guānniàn)` refers to a person's or group's values and ideas about what a family should be.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing `家庭` with `家 (jiā)` and `家人 (jiārén)`.

• `家庭` (jiātíng) vs. `家人` (jiārén): This is the key distinction.
  • `家庭` is the household, the institution, the concept. It's the “family unit.”
  • `家人` (jiārén) refers to the *people* in the family—the family members.
  • Incorrect: ~~我昨天和我的家庭吃饭了。~~ (I ate with my family unit yesterday.)
  • Correct: 我昨天和我的家人吃饭了。 (Wǒ zuótiān hé wǒ de jiārén chīfàn le. - I ate with my family members yesterday.)
  • Think of it this way: You love your `家人` (people), and together you create a `家庭` (household).
• `家庭` (jiātíng) vs. `家` (jiā): This is a more subtle difference.
  • `家` is more general and personal. It means “home,” “family,” and can be used very emotionally. It's the word you use most often when talking about your own home. (e.g., `我回家` - Wǒ huí jiā - I'm going home).
  • `家庭` is more formal and descriptive. It's often used when analyzing the family as a social entity or when describing a type of family.
  • Natural: 我爱我的家。 (Wǒ ài wǒ de jiā. - I love my family/home.)
  • Also possible, but more formal/abstract: 我爱我的家庭。 (Wǒ ài wǒ de jiātíng. - I love my family unit.) This sounds a bit like saying “I love the institution of my family.” In most loving contexts, `家` or `家人` is preferred.

• 家人 (jiārén) - Family members; the people who make up the `家庭`.
• 家 (jiā) - Home; family. A more personal, emotional, and versatile term than `家庭`.
• 家族 (jiāzú) - Clan; lineage. A much larger group of relatives connected by blood, often spanning many generations and households.
• 亲戚 (qīnqi) - Relatives (in general), especially those not in your immediate household, like aunts, uncles, and cousins.
• 孝顺 (xiàoshùn) - Filial piety. The foundational Confucian virtue of respecting and caring for one's parents and elders within the `家庭`.
• 家庭主妇 (jiātíng zhǔfù) - Housewife. A role defined by the `家庭`.
• 家庭作业 (jiātíng zuòyè) - Homework. Literally “work done in the family home.”
• 核心家庭 (héxīn jiātíng) - Nuclear family. A specific type of `家庭`.
• 户口 (hùkǒu) - Household registration system. The official government system that registers citizens by their `家庭`.