Family words in Cantonese (廣東話 / 粵語)

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:

Links

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]

Family words in Chinese / Sinitic languages

Cantonese, Hakka, Mandarin, Taiwanese

Family words in other languages

[top]


Green Web Hosting - Kualo

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

 

SpanishPod101 - learn Spanish for free

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

 

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]

iVisa.com