干父母 vs. 义父母 translation/meaning?
I had answered what is 干父母 here: How to translate &quot;干妈&quot;,&quot;干爸/义父&quot;,&quot;干儿子/义子“?


  The concept of 乾媽 and 乾爹 in Chinese culture is almost the same as " godmother and godfather in Western countries



Since there are no equivalent terms of 干父母 in English, 'Godfather' and 'Godmother' would have to do.
As for '义父母', it is just another name for '养父母' (adoptive parents)


Strictly speaking, you should address your adoptive parents as 义父, 义母; But you can refer other people's adoptive parents as 'his 养父' or 'her 养母'.

In modern societies, adoptive parents enjoy the same status as actual parents. Most adopted children just address them as their parents, and only refer them as 义父母 or 养父母 to the third parties.


Step father and stepmother in Chinese are 继父/继母 or 后父/后母