About
The character "甥" has consistently represented the specific kinship term for a sister's son throughout its documented history, a meaning it retains today. Its traditional form is structured from the components "生" (shēng, meaning 'to bear' or 'birth') and "男" (nán, meaning 'male'), which together logically denote a male child born from one's sister, effectively outlining the maternal lineage connection. While its core definition has remained stable, classical texts occasionally applied the term more broadly to certain sons-in-law, reflecting the intricate social and familial structures of ancient patrilineal societies where marriage alliances were closely tied to kinship terminology. The character's construction therefore serves as a durable semantic description of the relationship, encoding the concept of a male child originating from the female line of one's immediate family.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是我的外甥。
我姐姐的儿子是我的外甥。
我的外甥很喜欢玩足球。
舅舅给外甥买了一个新书包。
我外甥女的头发很长很漂亮。
我的外甥今年考上了大学。
我外甥的生日派对很热闹。
看到外甥健康成长是我最大的欣慰。