‘Jiùjiu’ is the colloquial, affectionate term for one’s maternal uncle — the brother of one’s mother. Unlike formal or written contexts where ‘jiùfu’ (舅父) may be used, ‘jiùjiu’ is warm, familiar, and commonly heard in everyday family conversation, especially among children and younger relatives. The repetition of the character 舅 emphasizes closeness and informality, a common pattern in Chinese kinship terms (e.g., ‘gēge’, ‘māma’).

The first character 舅 carries the core meaning of ‘mother’s brother’, while the reduplicated form softens the tone and signals intimacy rather than hierarchy. It is never used for paternal uncles — those are called ‘bóbo’ (paternal elder uncle) or ‘shūshu’ (paternal younger uncle). ‘Jiùjiu’ reflects the cultural importance of distinguishing maternal and paternal lineages, and its usage often conveys warmth, familiarity, and shared family history.