The Chinese kinship system (simplified Chinese: 亲属系统; traditional Chinese: 親屬系統; pinyin: qīnshǔ xìtǒng) is classified as a "Sudanese" or "descriptive" system for the definition of family.

The Chinese kinship system is among the most complicated of all kinship systems. It maintains a separate designation for almost every member's kin based on their generation, lineage, relative age, and gender.

In the Chinese kinship system:

• Maternal and paternal lineages are distinguished. For example, a mother's brother and a father's brother have different terms.
• The relative age of a sibling relation is considered. For example, a father's younger brother has a different terminology than his older brother.
• The gender of the relative is distinguished, as in English.
• The generation from ego is indicated, like in English.

Chinese kinship is agnatic, emphasizing patrilineality.