叔公 (shū gōng) is a kinship term used primarily in southern Chinese dialects (e.g., Cantonese, Hokkien-influenced Mandarin) to refer to one’s father’s younger brother — equivalent to the more standard Mandarin term shūshu (叔叔). The character 叔 (shū) means 'younger uncle' and carries the semantic component of 'younger male relative on the father’s side'; 公 (gōng) is an honorific suffix meaning 'elder' or 'respected male', often added in southern speech to convey warmth and respect. Unlike the neutral shūshu, 叔公 tends to sound more affectionate or traditional and may be used especially by children or in rural or familial storytelling contexts.

This term reflects regional variation in kinship terminology rather than a distinct biological relationship. It is not used for father’s older brother (that’s bó gōng 伯公) nor for mother’s brothers (who are called jiù gōng 舅公). While widely understood in southern regions, it may sound unfamiliar or overly formal to speakers from northern China.