Learn 20 must-know family words
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| Hi, guys! Welcome to CantoneseClass101.com’s top words. My name is Olivia and today, we are going to talk about 15 must-know family words. Here we go! |
| 1. 屋企人 (uk1 kei2 jan4) "family" |
| 屋企 (uk1 kei2) is “home, 人 (jan4) is “people” so people in our home is our family - 屋企人 (uk1 kei2 jan4). |
| In a sentence - 佢重視工作多過屋企人。 (keoi5 zung6 si6 gung1 zok3 do1 gwo3 uk1 kei2 jan4.) "He values his job more than his family." |
| Oh that’s really bad. Please don’t do that. Please value your family more. |
| 重視你屋企人多啲。(zung6 si6 nei5 uk1 kei2 jan4 do1 di1.) |
| 2. 爸爸 (baa4 baa1) "father" |
| Next, 爸爸 (baa4 baa1) "father". |
| 爸爸帶我去睇足球比賽。 (baa4 baa1 daai3 ngo5 heoi3 tai2 zuk1 kau4 bei2 coi3.) "Father takes me to watch soccer game." |
| 3. 老公 (lou5 gung1) "husband" |
| 佢唔單只係一個好老公，仲係個好爸爸。 (keoi5 m4 daan1 zi2 hai6 jat1 go3 hou2 lou5 gung1, zung6 hai6 go3 hou2 baa4 baa1.) "He is not only a good husband, but also a great father." |
| 4. 仔 (zai2) "son" |
| 我有兩個仔，一個女。 (ngo5 jau5 loeng5 go3 zai2, jat1 go3 neoi5.) "I have two sons and one daughter." |
| 5. 哥哥 (go4 go1) "older brother" |
| 我同哥哥去公園玩。 (ngo5 tung4 go4 go1 heoi3 gung1 jyun2 waan2.) "My older brother and I go play in the park." |
| When I was younger, I always wanted an older brother and I’ll ask my mom for an elder brother and she was like, you’re too late. You can only have a younger brother, younger sister, but I didn’t want it. I only wanted an elder brother so next... |
| 6. 細佬 (sai3 lou2) "younger brother" |
| 我成日同細佬打交。 (ngo5 sing4 jat6 tung4 sai3 lou2 daa2 gaau1.) "I always fight with my younger brother." |
| 7. 爺爺 (je4 je2) "paternal grandfather" |
| 逢星期日，我都會去探我爺爺。 (fung4 sing1 kei4 jat6, ngo5 dou1 wui5 heoi3 taam3 ngo5 je4 je2.) "I visit my grandfather every Sunday." |
| Do you visit your grandfather? |
| 8. 孫仔 (syun1 zai2) "grandson" |
| 佢好錫佢個孫仔。 (keoi5 hou2 sek3 keoi5 go3 syun1 zai2.) "She loves her grandson so much." |
| So when you go to visit your 爺爺 (je4 je2), your grandfather, he will say, “Oh, my grandson is here.” 我個孫仔嚟咗。(ngo5 go3 syun1 zai2 lei4 zo2.) |
| Yeah. |
| 9. 媽媽 (maa4 maa1) "mother" |
| 佢媽媽係個教師。 (keoi5 maa4 maa1 hai6 go3 gaau3 si1.) "His mother is a teacher." |
| 我媽媽係個教師。 (ngo5 maa4 maa1 hai6 go3 gaau3 si1.) “My mother is a teacher.” |
| 10. 女 (neoi5) "daughter" |
| Next, 女 (neoi5) "daughter" |
| 佢個女好靚。 (keoi5 go3 neoi5 hou2 leng3.) "Her daughter is very pretty." |
| 你個女好乖。 (nei5 go3 neoi5 hou2 gwaai1.) “Your daughter is very good.” like, behaving very well. |
| 11. 妹妹 (mui4 mui2) "younger sister" |
| 呢個係我妹妹。 (ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 mui4 mui2.) "This is my younger sister." |
| 12. 老婆 (lou5 pou4) "wife" |
| 佢老婆兩年前過身。(keoi5 lou5 pou4 loeng5 nin4 cin4 gwo3 san1.) “His wife died two years ago.” |
| That is so sad. |
| 呢個係我老婆。(ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 lou5 po4.) "This is my wife." |
| 呢個係我老公。(ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 lou5 gung1.) “This is my husband.” |
| 13. 孫女 (syun1 neoi5) "granddaughter" |
| 我孫女今日返嚟。 (ngo5 syun1 neoi5 gam1 jat6 faan1 lei4.) "My granddaughter is coming back today." |
| So when a granddaughter is travelling or studying elsewhere so the grandfather or grandmother might tell people happily that - 我孫女今日返嚟。 (ngo5 syun1 neoi5 gam1 jat6 faan1 lei4.) "Oh, my granddaughter is coming back today." |
| 14. 婆婆 (po4 po2) "maternal grandmother" |
| 佢婆婆九十歲。 (keoi5 po4 po2 gau2 sap6 seoi3.) "His grandmother is 90 years old." |
| 15. 公公 (gung1 gung1) "maternal grandfather" |
| 我公公九十三歲。 (ngo5 gung1 gung1 gau2 sap6 saam1 seoi3.) "My grandfather is 93 years old." |
| So paternal grandfather is 爺爺 (je4 je2) and maternal grandfather is 公公 (gung1 gung1). Paternal grandmother is 媽媽 (maa4 maa1) and maternal grandmother is 婆婆 (po4 po2). Cantonese or most Chinese styles have all these different names for different people depending on which side of the family they’re from, if they’re younger or older. It’s very complicated. I just love how in English, you can just call everyone, uncle, auntie, cousin, grandfather, grandmother without all the different terms. When I was younger, it was super hard to memorize everything. It’s like, 叔公 (suk1 gung1), 叔婆 (suk1 po4), 姑媽(gu1 maa1), 姑姐(gu1 ze1), there is, like, all different terms. |
| So today, we talked about 15 family words, but there are so many different terms in Cantonese. If you know any of those special terms I mentioned, you can leave in a comment or feel free to ask how to say, let’s say, your mom’s younger brother’s wife or whatever. They’re all different, so feel free to ask in the comment section and I’ll see you next time. My name is Olivia. Bye! 下次見！(haa6 ci3 ging3!) |
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