How to Say “My stepson” in Chinese
Relationships and family · HSK 3
"My stepson" in Chinese is 我的继子 (Wǒ de jìzǐ). 继 (jì) means 'to succeed/follow,' so 继子 literally reads 'successor son'; the child brought into a marriage. Chinese family vocabulary historically assumed blended families were rare, so 继子 still carries a faintly formal, legalistic tone.
Primary translation
我的继子
Wǒ de jìzǐ
Traditional: 我的繼子
When to use it
继 (jì) means 'to succeed/follow,' so 继子 literally reads 'successor son'; the child brought into a marriage. Chinese family vocabulary historically assumed blended families were rare, so 继子 still carries a faintly formal, legalistic tone. In everyday speech many Chinese parents simply say 我儿子 (wǒ érzi, 'my son') without distinguishing, because publicly flagging a stepchild can feel cold. Reserve 继子 for paperwork, introductions where the relationship matters, or when a stranger asks about the family tree.
Example sentences
我的继子今年上大学了。
Wǒ de jìzǐ jīnnián shàng dàxué le.
My stepson started university this year.
他是我的继子，但我把他当亲生儿子。
Tā shì wǒ de jìzǐ, dàn wǒ bǎ tā dàng qīnshēng érzi.
He's my stepson, but I treat him like my own son.
我继子和我关系特别好。
Wǒ jìzǐ hé wǒ guānxi tèbié hǎo.
My stepson and I have a really close relationship.