Sunday, April 4, 2021

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, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.


Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, m = male, f = female, + = elder, - = younger, pt-= paternal, mt-= maternal


  Cantonese (廣東話) (Guǎngdōng huà)

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)


Link to pronounce the relative Cantonese terms , click here 


Correction: Sorry friends-students, made a little boo-boo. Sincere apologies for the mistakes in the poster. The husband's brothers and the wife's brothers are mixed up. (Haven't actually had real experience calling these people yet) . So the wife's older brother is 大舅 (Dà jiù), younger brother is 舅仔 (Jiù zǐ) 。Your husband's older brother is your 大伯(Dàbó) and your husband's younger brother is 叔仔(Shū zǐ) 。Will make sure this is correct on the poster! Sorry!

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