Words for family members and other relatives in Cantonese, a variety of Chinese spoken in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau and many parts of Southeast Asia.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, m = male, f = female, + = elder, - = younger, pt-= paternal, mt-= maternal
| Cantonese (廣東話) | |
|---|---|
| family | 家庭 (gàtìhng) |
| relative | 親戚 (chānchìk) |
| parents | 父母 (fuhmóuh) |
| father | 父親 (fuhchàn) frm 爸爸 (bàhbā) inf 阿爸 (a bàh) inf |
| mother | 母親 (móuhchàn) frm 媽媽 (màhmà) inf 阿母 (a mā) inf |
| children | 細蚊仔 (saimānjáí) 小童 (síutùhng) |
| son | 仔 (jái) |
| daughter | 女 (néui) |
| spouse | 愛人 (ngoiyàhn) 老伴 (lóuhbun) 配偶 (puingáuh) |
| husband | 先生 (sìnsàang) frm 丈夫 (jeuhngfu) frm 老公 (lóuhgùng) inf |
| wife | 太太 (taaitáai) frm 妻子 (chàjí) 老婆 (lóuhpòh) inf |
| siblings | 兄弟姐妹 (hìngdaih jímuih) |
| brother | 哥哥 (gòhgō) / 大佬 (daailóu) + 弟弟 (dàihdái) / 細佬 (sailóu) - |
| sister | 家姐 (gajē) / 姐姐 (jèhjè) + 妹妹 (mùihmúi) / 細妹 (saimúi) - |
| uncle | 阿伯 (a baak) / 伯父 (baakfuh) father's elder brother 阿叔 (a sūk) / 叔父 (sūkfuh) father's younger brother 姑丈 (gùjéung) father's sister's husband 舅父 (káuhfú / káauhfú) mother's brother 姨丈 (yìhjéung) mother's sister's husband 叔叔 (sūksùk) general term |
| aunt | 姑媽 (gūmà) father's elder sister 姑姐 (gūjè) father's younger sister 伯娘 (baakleùhng) father's elder brother's wife 阿嬸 (asám) father's younger brother's wife 姨媽 (yìhmā) mother's elder sister 阿姨 (ayì) mother's younger sister 舅姆 (káuhmóuh) / 妗姆 (káhmmóuh) mother's brother's wife 阿姨 (ayì) / 姨姨 (yīyī) general term |
| cousin (paternal) | 堂阿哥 (tòhngagō) +m 堂細佬 (tòhng sailóu) -m 堂家姐 (tòhnggājè) +f 堂細妹 (tòhngsaimúi) -f |
| cousin (maternal) | 表阿 (bíugò) +m 表弟 (bíudài) -m 表姐 (bíujé) +f 表妹 (bíumúi) -f |
| nephew | 侄 (ját) brother's son 外甥 (ngoihsàng) sister's son |
| niece | 侄女 (jahtnéui) brother's daughter 外甥女 (ngoihsàngnéui) sister's daughter |
| grandfather | 爺爺 (yèhyé) pt 阿爺 (a yèh) pt 公公 (gùnggùng) mt 外公 (ngoihgùng) mt 阿公 (a gung) mt |
| grandmother | 嫲嫲 (màhmàh) pt 阿嫲 (a màh) pt 婆婆 (pòhpó) mt 外婆 (ngoihpòh) mt 阿婆 (a poh) mt |
| grandson | 孫 (syùn) son's son 外孫 (ngoihsyùn) daughter's son |
| granddaughter | 孫女 (syùnnéui) son's daughter 外孫女 (ngoihsyùnnéui) daughter's daughter |
| father-in-law | 老爺 (lóuhyèh) husband's father 外父 (ngoihfú) / 岳父 (ngohkfú) wife's father |
| mother-in-law | 奶奶 (nàaihnáai) / 家婆 (gāpó) husband's mother 外母 (ngoihmóu) / 岳母 (ngohkmóu) wife's mother |
| brother-in-law | 姐夫 (jéfù) elder sister's husband 妹夫 (muihfù) younger sister's husband 大舅 (daaihkáuh) wife’s elder brother 舅仔 (káuhjái) wife’s younger brother 大伯 (daaihbaak) husband’s elder brother 叔仔 (sūkhjái) husband’s younger brother |
| sister-in-law | 阿嫂 (a sóu) elder brother's wife 弟婦 (daihfúh) younger brother's wife 姑奶 (gùnāai) husband's elder sister 姑仔 (gùjái) husband's younger sister 大姨 (daaihyìh) wife's elder sister 姨仔 (yìjái) wife's younger sister |
| son-in-law | 女婿 (néuihsai) |
| daughter-in-law | 新抱 (sànpóuh) |
Hear Cantonese family words:
Information about Chinese kinship terms
http://www.kwanfamily.info/culture/familytitles_table.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_kinship
http://www.oakton.edu/user/4/billtong/chinaclass/chinesekin.htm
Information about Cantonese | Phrases | Numbers | Family words | Time expressions | Tower of Babel | Cantonese courses on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]
Cantonese, Hakka, Mandarin, Taiwanese
Family words in other languages
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