Although English is widely spoken in Hong Kong, learning how to describe your household in Cantonese will certainly be of an excellent benefit come you. Not only will it assist you know the local society better, however it can additionally facilitate communication with the locals and show respect, particularly considering that family members is a solid institution here.
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Want come learn much more about Hong Kong households in general and familiarize yourself with an easy Cantonese household expressions? keep reading and also let gaianation.net provide you a hand!
In this article, we’ll go over crucial information including family members titles in Cantonese, household Cantonese words, how to say household in Cantonese, and also family connections in Cantonese.
By the moment you’re done through this article, you’ll be much an ext informed on family an interpretation in Cantonese, and also will be speak things prefer “grandmother” in Cantonese prefer it’s nothing!
But first…
Table of Contents
1. What is household in Cantonese Culture?
Even though numerous locals have adopted Western means of living, Chinese ideas like “family solidarity” and “family glory” are still prevalent. It’s likewise common because that a grown-up come live with their family members or parents, partly due to the sky-rocketed building prices and rent, and the strong emphasis on family members bonding in Hong Kong.
Many HongKongers are living in nuclear families, typically with just one or two children, as most living spaces in Hong Kong space small. The traditional role of a mother is come take treatment of the family, though numerous HongKongers pick to hire a housemaid to lug out the residential duties so that the mother have the right to work full-time.
Age identify the seniority the a family. It’s supposed for anyone to respect your elders in accordance v filial piety, a deep rooted virtue in many Southeast asian countries. HongKongers usually worship their ancestors at least twice a year, which stems indigenous the id that youngsters are eternally indebted to their parents. This respect because that seniority can also be observed through language; for example, “brother” is additional classified as “elder brother” and also “younger brother.”
2. State for family Members in Cantonese
Unlike in English, there room very details terms in Cantonese to refer to household members. Because that example, “grandfather” is further broken down to define whether one is talking around the grand on the paternal or maternal side. “Sister” is further damaged down according to age. Inspect out the detailed family tree in Cantonese below!
| 1 | 家庭 | gaa1 ting4 | Family |
| 2 | 父母 | fu6 mou5 | parents |
| 3 | 父親 | fu6 can1 | dad (formal – commonly only appears in writing) |
| 4 | 爸爸 | baa4 baa1 | dad (less officially – applicable to both writing and also speaking) |
| 5 | 母親 | mou5 can1 | mom (formal – normally only appears in writing) |
| 6 | 媽媽 | maa4 maa1 | mom (less officially – applicable come both writing and speaking) |
| 7 | 孩子 | haai4 zi2 | kids (formal – normally only shows up in writing) |
| 8 | 小朋友 | siu2 pang4 jau5 | kids (less official – applicable come both writing and speaking) |
| 9 | 仔女 | zai2 neoi2 | youngsters (less officially – applicable to both writing and also speaking) |
| 10 | 仔 | zai2 | Son |
| 11 | 女 | neoi2 | Daughter |
| 12 | 兄弟姊妹 | hing1 dai6 zi2 mui6 | Siblings |
| 13 | 哥哥 | go4 go1 | Elder brother |
| 14 | 弟弟 | dai4 dai2 | Younger brother |
| 15 | 姐姐 | ze4 ze1 | Elder sister |
| 16 | 妹妹 | mui4 mui2 | Younger sister |
| 17 | 爺爺 | je4 je2 | grandfather (father’s father) |
| 18 | 公公 | gung4 gung1 | grand (mother’s father); interchangeable with #19 |
| 19 | 外公 | ngoi6 gung1 | grand (mother’s father); interchangeable with #18 |
| 20 | 嫲嫲 | maa4 maa4 | grandm (father’s mother) |
| 21 | 婆婆 | po4 po2 | grandm (mother’s mother); interchangeable through #22 |
| 22 | 外婆 | ngoi6 po4 | grandm (mother’s mother); interchangeable v #21 |
| 23 | 孫仔 | syun1 zai2 | nephew (son’s son) |
| 24 | 外孫 | ngoi6 syun1 | grandson (daughter’s son) |
| 25 | 孫女 | syun1 neoi2 | granddaughter (son’s daughter) |
| 26 | 外孫女 | ngoi6 syun1 neoi2 | granddaughter (daughter’s daughter) |
3. Much more Family state in Cantonese: Terms because that Relatives
| 1 | 伯父 | baak3 fu6 | Uncle (father’s elder brother) |
| 2 | 叔父 | suk1 fu6 | Uncle (father’s younger brother) |
| 3 | 姑丈 | gu1 zoeng2 | Uncle (father’s sister’s husband) |
| 4 | 舅父 | kau5 fu2 | Uncle (mother’s brother) |
| 5 | 姨丈 | ji4 zoeng2 | Uncle (mother’s sister’s husband) |
| 6 | 叔叔 | suk1 suk1 | Uncle (general) |
| 7 | 姑媽 | gu1 maa1 | Aunt (father’s elder sister) |
| 8 | 姑姐 | gu1 ze1 | Aunt (father’s younger sister) |
| 9 | 伯娘 | baak3 noeng4 | Aunt (father’s elder brother’s wife) |
| 10 | 阿嬸 | aa3 sam2 | Aunt (father’s younger brother’s wife) |
| 11 | 姨媽 | ji4 maa1 | Aunt (mother’s elder sister) |
| 12 | 阿姨 | aa3 ji1 | Aunt (mother’s younger sister) |
| 13 | 舅母 | kau5 mou5 | Aunt (mother’s brother’s wife) |
| 14 | 姨姨 | ji1 ji1 | Aunt (general) |
| 15 | 堂阿哥 | tong4 aa3 go1 | Elder masculine cousin (father’s side) |
| 16 | 堂細佬 | tong4 sai3 lou2 | Younger masculine cousin (father’s side) |
| 17 | 堂家姐 | tong4 gaa1 ze1 | Elder woman cousin (father’s side) |
| 18 | 堂細妹 | tong4 sai3 mui2 | Younger woman cousin (father’s side) |
| 19 | 表哥 | biu2 go1 | Elder male cousin (mother’s side) |
| 20 | 表弟 | biu2 dai2 | Younger male cousin (mother’s side) |
| 21 | 表姐 | biu2 ze2 | Elder female cousin (mother’s side) |
| 22 | 表妹 | biu2 mui2 | Younger mrs cousin (mother’s side) |
| 23 | 侄 | zat6 | Nephew (brother’s son) |
| 24 | 外甥 | ngoi6 saang1 | Nephew (sister’s son) |
| 25 | 侄女 | zat6 neoi2 | nephew (brother’s daughter) |
| 26 | 外甥女 | ngoi6 saang1 neoi2 | niece (sister’s daughter) |
4. Terms for household Members as a Married Person
| 1 | 配偶 | pui3 ngau5 | Spouse |
| 2 | 先生 | sin1 saang1 | Husband; interchangeable through #3 |
| 3 | 丈夫 | zoeng6 fu1 | Husband; interchangeable v #2 |
| 4 | 太太 | taai3 taai2 | Wife; interchangeable through #5 |
| 5 | 妻子 | cai1 zi2 | Wife; interchangeable through #4 |
| 6 | 老爺 | lou5 je4 | Father-in-law (husband’s father) |
| 7 | 外父 | ngoi6 fu2 | Father-in-law (wife’s father) |
| 8 | 奶奶 | naai4 naai2 | Mother-in-law (husband’s mother) |
| 9 | 外母 | ngoi6 mou2 | Mother-in-law (wife’s mother) |
| 10 | 姐夫 | ze2 fu1 | Brother-in-law (elder sister’s husband) |
| 11 | 妹夫 | mui6 fu1 | Brother-in-law (younger sister’s husband) |
| 12 | 大舅 | daai6 kau5 | Brother-in-law (husband’s elder brother) |
| 13 | 舅仔 | kau5 zai2 | Brother-in-law (husband’s younger brother) |
| 14 | 大伯 | daai6 baak3 | Brother-in-law (wife’s elder brother) |
| 15 | 叔仔 | suk1 zai2 | Brother-in-law (wife’s younger brother) |
| 16 | 阿嫂 | aa3 sou2 | Sister-in-law (elder brother’s wife) |
| 17 | 弟婦 | dai6 fu5 | Sister-in-law (younger brother’s wife) |
| 18 | 姑奶 | gu1 naai1 | Sister-in-law (husband’s elder sister) |
| 19 | 姑仔 | gu1 zai2 | Sister-in-law (husband’s younger sister) |
| 20 | 大姨 | daai6 ji1 | Sister-in-law (wife’s elder sister) |
| 21 | 姨仔 | ji1 zai2 | Sister-in-law (wife’s younger sister) |
| 22 | 女婿 | neoi5 sai3 | Son-in-law |
| 23 | 新抱 | san1 pou5 | Daughter-in-law |
5. Endearment Terms for the household in Cantonese
| 1 | 阿爸 | aa3 baa4 | Father |
| 2 | 爹地 | de1 di4 | dad |
| 3 | 老豆 | lou5 dau6 | Father |
| 4 | 阿媽 | aa3 maa1 | Mother |
| 5 | 媽咪 | maa1 mi4 | Mother |
| 6 | 老母 | lou5 mou2 | Mother |
| 7 | 大佬 | daai6 lou2 | Elder brother |
| 8 | 細佬 | sai3 lou2 | Younger brother |
| 9 | 家姐 | gaa1 ze1 | Elder sister |
| 10 | 細妹 | sai3 mui2 | Younger sister |
| 11 | 老公 | lou5 gung1 | Husband |
| 12 | 老婆 | lou5 po4 | Wife |
6. Simple Sentences come Talk around Family in Cantonese
1- 我係你爸爸
Romanization: ngo5 hai6 nei5 baa4 baa1Meaning: i am your father.
Additional Notes:
係 (hai6) is a verb with many different functions and often converts as “to be.” However, we primarily use 係 (hai6) to express the one noun is identical to another, as in the sentence 我係你爸爸 (ngo5 hai6 nei5 baa4 baa1). In a an easy sentence making use of 係 (hai6), the an interpretation of the noun after ~ 係 (hai6) is usually an ext general 보다 the noun prior to 係 (hai6). Only when both nouns space equally particular can they it is in interchanged.
2- 呢個係我爸爸
Romanization: ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 baa4 baa1Meaning: This is mine father.
3- 嗰個係佢家姐
Romanization: go2 go3 hai6 keoi5 gaa1 ze1Meaning: that is her elder sister.
4- 邊個係你妹夫？
Romanization: bin1 go3 hai6 nei5 mui6 fu1Meaning: that is your younger sister’s brother?
5- 我哋係老公老婆Romanization: ngo5 dei2 hai6 lou5 gung1 lou5 po4Meaning: We space husband and wife.
6- 佢係我大佬
Romanization: keoi5 hai6 ngo5 daai6 lou2Meaning: he is mine elder brother.
7- 我侄女伊利沙伯
Romanization: ngo5 zat6 neoi2 ji1 lei6 saa1 baak3Meaning: My nephew Elizabeth.
8- 邊個係達西嘅爸爸？
Romanization: bin1 go3 hai6 daat6 sai1 ge3 baa4 baa1Meaning: that is Darcy’s father?
9- 我妹妹去咗英國留學
Romanization: ngo5 mui4 mui2 heoi3 zo2 jing1 gwok3 lau4 hok6.Meaning: my younger sister saw England to research abroad.
10- 佢係奧斯汀嘅細佬
Romanization: keoi5 hai6 ou3 si1 ting1 ge3 sai3 lou2Meaning: that is Austin’s brother.
11- 我係溫特沃斯嘅老婆
Romanization: ngo5 hai6 wan1 dak6 juk1 si1 ge3 lou5 po4Meaning: i am Wentworth’s wife.
12- 安妮係我嘅表妹
Romanization: on1 nei4 hai6 ngo5 biu2 mui2Meaning: ann is mine “younger woman cousin” (mother’s side).
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