The Burmese kinship system is a fairly complex system used to define family in the Burmese language. In the Burmese kinship system: Maternal and parental lineages are not distinguished, except for members of the parents' generations. Relative age of a sibling relation is considered. Gender of the relative is distinguished. Generation from ego is indicated.
History Many of the kinship terms used in Burmese today are extant or derived from Old Burmese. These include the terms used to reference siblings and in-laws.
Grades of kinship The Burmese kinship system identifies and recognizes six generations of direct ancestors, excluding the ego:
Be () - great-grandfather's great-grandfather (6 generations removed) Bin () - great-grandfather's grandfather (5 generations removed) Bi () - great-grandfather's father (4 generations removed) Bay () - great-grandfather (3 generations removed) Pho () - grandfather (2 generations removed) Phay () - father (1 generation removed)
The Burmese kinship system identifies seven generations of direct descendants, excluding the ego: Tha () - (1 generation removed) Myi () - (2 generations removed) Myit () - (3 generations removed) Ti () - (4 generations removed) Tut () or Hmyaw () - (5 generations removed) Kyut () - (6 generations removed) Hset () - (7 generations removed)
Extended family and terminology Kinship terms differ depending on the degree of formality, courtesy or intimacy. Also, there are regional differences in the terms used.
Common suffixes female: (ma) male: (hpa)
Burmese also possesses kin numeratives (in the form of suffixes): eldest: (gyi) or (oh) second youngest: (lat) youngest: (lay), (htway), or (nge)
Relationships The Burmese kinship system also recognizes various relationships between family members that are not found in English, including: (tu ayi) - relationship between uncle or aunt and nephew or niece (khami khamet) - relationship between parents of a married couple (maya nyi-ako) - relationship between the husbands of two sisters (thami myauk tha) - relationship between cousins, used in Arakanese language
Members of the nuclear family Relation Term Form of address English equivalent Notes Father pha khin a phay phay phay Father Mother mi khin a may may may Mother Elder brother(male ego) naung Brother Elder brother(female ego) ko Brother Younger brother(male ego) nyi Brother Younger brother(female ego) maung Brother Older sister ma Sister Younger sister(male ego) hna ma Sister Younger sister(female ego) nyi ma Sister Husband lin Husband Informal: (yaukkya). Formal: (khinbun). Wife maya Wife Informal: (meinma). Formal: (zani). Son tha Son Daughter thami Daughter
Members of the extended family Immediate lineageRelation Term Form of address English equivalent Notes Parent's father pho Grandfather Parent's mother phwa Grandmother Father's elder brother ba gyi Uncle Father's younger brother ba lay Uncle The youngest uncle may be called (ba dway). Father's elder sister ayi gyi Aunt Father's younger sister ayi lay Aunt The youngest aunt may be called (dway lay). Mother's elder brother u gyi Uncle (wayi) is now obsolete. Mother's younger brother u lay Uncle Mother's elder sister daw gyi Aunt Also (kyidaw). Mother's younger sister daw lay Aunt The youngest aunt may be called (dway lay). First cousin maung hnama ta wun gwe First cousin Lit. "siblings one womb removed" Nephews and niecesRelation Term Form of address English equivalent Notes Sibling's son tu Nephew Sibling's daughter tuma Niece In-lawsRelation Term Form of address English equivalent Notes Brother's wife(female ego)Husband's sister yaungma sister-in-law Elder brother's wife(male ego)Wife's elder sister mayi sister-in-law Younger brother's wife(male ego)Wife's younger sister khema sister-in-law Sister's husbandHusband's younger brotherWife's brother yaukpha brother-in-law Elder sister's husband(female ego)Husband's elder brother khe-oh brother-in-law Younger sister's husband(female ego)Husband's younger brother mat brother-in-law Son's wife chwayma daughter-in-law Daughter's husband thamet son-in-law Spouse's father yaukkahti father-in-law Spouse's mother yaukkhama mother-in-law
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