Family Terms in Cantonese

In Brief

Cantonese family terms often give more information than English ones: they may identify the paternal or maternal side, and whether a sibling or cousin is older or younger than you. Learn each term as a complete word—such as 哥哥 go4 go1 “older brother” and 阿嫲 aa3 maa4 “paternal grandmother”—rather than trying to translate the broad English words brother, cousin, or grandmother directly.

Overview

Family vocabulary is one of the first practical topics at A1. It lets you introduce relatives, answer questions about your household, and understand how people address one another. It also reveals an important feature of Cantonese: a kinship term is not merely a label for a family relationship. The word may encode family side, relative age, generation, and sometimes whether the link is by blood or marriage.

English lets you say brother without stating who is older. Cantonese normally chooses 哥哥 go4 go1 for an older brother and 弟弟 dai6 dai2 for a younger brother. In the same way, English grandmother corresponds to different common terms on the paternal and maternal sides. This greater precision can look like a large vocabulary burden, but beginners do not need the whole traditional kinship system at once. Start with parents, siblings, and grandparents, then add cousin terms as you meet them.

The forms in this article represent common colloquial Cantonese. Jyutping—the romanization system used here—shows pronunciation and tone with a number. In repeated family words, the second syllable often has a changed tone, so copy the complete pronunciation given rather than assuming both written syllables sound identical.

How It Works

Core family words

A noun (a word naming a person, place, or thing) can be a complete family term in Cantonese. The most useful immediate-family words are:

Relationship	Cantonese	Jyutping	Important distinction
father / dad	爸爸	baa4 baa1	familiar everyday term
mother / mom	媽媽	maa4 maa1	familiar everyday term
parents	父母	fu6 mou5	collective term; more neutral or formal
older brother	哥哥	go4 go1	older than the person used as the reference point
younger brother	弟弟	dai6 dai2	younger than the reference person
older sister	姐姐	ze4 ze1	older than the reference person
younger sister	妹妹	mui6 mui2	younger than the reference person
siblings	兄弟姊妹	hing1 dai6 zi2 mui6	collective term covering brothers and sisters
husband	老公	lou5 gung1	common spoken term
wife	老婆	lou5 po4	common spoken term
son	仔	zai2	also occurs in compounds and forms of address
daughter	女	neoi5	context normally makes the family meaning clear
children	仔女	zai2 neoi5	sons and daughters collectively

The “older” or “younger” distinction is relative to the person whose family is being described. 我哥哥 is a brother older than me. 佢弟弟 is a brother younger than him or her. Cantonese does not normally replace these with one neutral everyday word equivalent to English brother.

Grandparents and family side

The paternal side is the father’s side of the family; the maternal side is the mother’s side. Common colloquial terms distinguish them:

Relationship	Cantonese	Jyutping
paternal grandfather	阿爺	aa3 je4
paternal grandmother	阿嫲	aa3 maa4
maternal grandfather	公公	gung1 gung1
maternal grandmother	婆婆	po4 po2

These are common Hong Kong Cantonese forms, but real families may use other regional or household conventions. 公公 and 婆婆 can also have other kinship senses in different contexts, so the speaker’s family relationship matters. For a beginner, the four-way table above is a useful default, not a claim that every Cantonese-speaking family uses exactly the same labels.

Cousins: 堂 and 表, plus age and gender

English cousin leaves several facts unstated. Common Cantonese cousin terms combine:

1. a family-line marker, 堂 tong4 or 表 biu2;
2. gender, shown by the brother/sister element;
3. relative age, shown by 哥/弟 or 姐/妹.

Term	Jyutping	Basic meaning
堂哥	tong4 go1	older male 堂 cousin
堂弟	tong4 dai6	younger male 堂 cousin
堂姐	tong4 ze2	older female 堂 cousin
堂妹	tong4 mui6	younger female 堂 cousin
表哥	biu2 go1	older male 表 cousin
表弟	biu2 dai6	younger male 表 cousin
表姐	biu2 ze2	older female 表 cousin
表妹	biu2 mui6	younger female 表 cousin

In the traditional distinction, 堂 generally refers to children of your father’s brothers—the branch conventionally sharing the family surname. 表 covers other cousin branches, including relatives through your mother and through your father’s sisters. Therefore 表哥 is broader than “maternal cousin”: it means an older male cousin in a 表 relationship. Modern families may simplify this system in casual conversation, but the distinction remains useful and widely recognizable.

Age here is usually relative to you, not to your own sibling. If a male 表 cousin is older than you, he is 表哥; if younger, 表弟.

Possession: usually no 嘅 with close family

The possessor is the person something belongs or relates to. Cantonese can mark possession with 嘅 ge3:

possessor + 嘅 + noun

• 我嘅書 ngo5 ge3 syu1 — my book
• 佢嘅電話 keoi5 ge3 din6 waa2 — his/her phone

With close family relationships, however, 嘅 is commonly omitted:

• 我爸爸 ngo5 baa4 baa1 — my dad
• 你妹妹 nei5 mui6 mui2 — your younger sister
• 佢表哥 keoi5 biu2 go1 — his/her older male 表 cousin

Forms such as 我嘅爸爸 are grammatical, but they can sound more marked or contrastive: “my dad,” perhaps as opposed to yours. For a simple introduction, use 我爸爸.

Building basic sentences

Family terms fit normal Cantonese sentence patterns. The subject (who or what the sentence is about) usually comes before the verb.

• person + 係 hai6 + identity/classification: 我媽媽係老師。 — My mom is a teacher.
• person + 有 jau5 + family member: 我有一個弟弟。 — I have one younger brother.
• person + 有冇 jau5 mou5 + family member?: 你有冇兄弟姊妹？ — Do you have siblings?
• 呢個/嗰個 + 係 + person + family term: 呢個係我姐姐。 — This is my older sister.

When counting family members, use a classifier (a counting word placed between a number and a noun). The general classifier 個 go3 works in beginner sentences: 一個哥哥 “one older brother,” 兩個妹妹 “two younger sisters.” Use 兩 loeng5, rather than 二 ji6, before the classifier in ordinary counting.

阿 as part of an address or kin term

阿 aa3 commonly appears before names and kinship elements in familiar forms of address. Some words are normally learned with it, such as 阿爺 and 阿嫲. You will also hear forms such as 阿爸 aa3 baa1, 阿媽 aa3 maa1, 阿哥 aa3 go1, and 阿姐 aa3 ze1.

Do not treat 阿 as an English article like the or a. It is part of a familiar naming or address pattern, and its natural use depends on the term and the relationship. At A1, memorize the forms you actually hear rather than adding 阿 freely to every family noun.

Examples in Context

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Note
我爸爸係醫生。	ngo5 baa4 baa1 hai6 ji1 sang1.	My dad is a doctor.	嘅 is naturally omitted.
我媽媽喺屋企。	ngo5 maa4 maa1 hai2 uk1 kei2.	My mom is at home.	喺 hai2 marks location.
你有冇兄弟姊妹？	nei5 jau5 mou5 hing1 dai6 zi2 mui6?	Do you have siblings?	有冇 asks whether someone has something.
我有一個哥哥同兩個妹妹。	ngo5 jau5 jat1 go3 go4 go1 tung4 loeng5 go3 mui6 mui2.	I have one older brother and two younger sisters.	個 is the general classifier.
呢個係我姐姐。	ni1 go3 hai6 ngo5 ze4 ze1.	This is my older sister.	A basic introduction with 係.
我弟弟識講廣東話。	ngo5 dai6 dai2 sik1 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2.	My younger brother can speak Cantonese.	識 means “know how to.”
我阿嫲住喺廣州。	ngo5 aa3 maa4 zyu6 hai2 gwong2 zau1.	My paternal grandma lives in Guangzhou.	阿嫲 identifies the paternal side.
我公公今年七十歲。	ngo5 gung1 gung1 gam1 nin4 cat1 sap6 seoi3.	My maternal grandpa is seventy this year.	公公 is the common maternal term here.
佢係我表哥。	keoi5 hai6 ngo5 biu2 go1.	He is my older male 表 cousin.	表 is not limited to the maternal side.
我堂妹仲讀緊書。	ngo5 tong4 mui6 zung6 duk6 gan2 syu1.	My younger female 堂 cousin is still studying.	堂 marks the father’s-brother branch.
你妹妹叫咩名？	nei5 mui6 mui2 giu3 me1 meng2?	What is your younger sister’s name?	Literally asks what name she is called.
我父母都喺香港住。	ngo5 fu6 mou5 dou1 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zyu6.	Both my parents live in Hong Kong.	父母 is collective and more neutral/formal.
我冇家姐，不過有一個細佬。	ngo5 mou5 gaa1 ze1, bat1 gwo3 jau5 jat1 go3 sai3 lou2.	I don’t have an older sister, but I have a younger brother.	Common colloquial alternatives appear here.

Common Mistakes

Using one word for every brother or sister

• Wrong: 我有一個兄弟。 when you mean “I have a younger brother.”
• Right: 我有一個弟弟。
• Why: Everyday Cantonese normally states relative age: 哥哥/弟弟 and 姐姐/妹妹. 兄弟 can be collective or have broader contextual meanings; it is not a universal one-for-one replacement for English brother.

Adding 嘅 mechanically after every pronoun

• Less natural in a neutral introduction: 佢係我嘅媽媽。
• Natural: 佢係我媽媽。
• Why: Close family terms commonly follow a pronoun without 嘅. Keep 嘅 when contrast or emphasis makes it useful.

Calling every grandmother 阿嫲

• Wrong: 我阿嫲 for your mother’s mother, under the common distinction taught here.
• Right: 我婆婆 for your maternal grandmother.
• Why: 阿嫲 normally identifies the paternal grandmother; 婆婆 identifies the maternal grandmother in this common system.

Treating 表哥 as specifically “maternal cousin”

• Too narrow: “表哥 always means my mother’s older nephew.”
• Better: 表哥 is an older male 表 cousin.
• Why: 表 includes maternal-side cousins and cousins descended from your father’s sisters. 堂 is generally reserved for children of your father’s brothers.

Ignoring changed tones in repeated words

• Wrong pronunciation: treating both syllables of 媽媽 as maa4 maa4 in the common kinship word.
• Right: 媽媽 maa4 maa1.
• Why: Several familiar repeated kin terms have a changed tone on the second syllable. Learn the spoken word and its Jyutping together.

Leaving out the classifier after a number

• Wrong: 兩妹妹
• Right: 兩個妹妹
• Why: A number normally needs a classifier before a countable noun. 個 is a safe general classifier here.

Usage Notes

Spoken variants are common

Alongside 哥哥, 姐姐, 弟弟, 妹妹, Hong Kong speech commonly uses 阿哥 aa3 go1, 家姐 gaa1 ze1, 細佬 sai3 lou2, and 細妹 sai3 mui2. The pairs do not differ simply as “correct” versus “incorrect.” Choice depends on household habit, region, and context. Learn to recognize both sets; the repeated forms provide a clear, systematic starting point.

爸爸/媽媽 are familiar everyday words, while 父親 fu6 can1 and 母親 mou5 can1 are more formal and more likely in writing or formal reference. 父母 is useful as the collective “parents.” When speaking directly to your own parents, household forms such as 爸爸, 媽媽, 阿爸, and 阿媽 are natural.

Traditional characters and spoken Cantonese

This article uses traditional characters and colloquial Cantonese wording. A formal written text may choose Standard Written Chinese vocabulary that is not identical to everyday Cantonese speech. Do not assume that the most formal written family label is automatically the most natural way to address someone aloud.

Kin terms can be social forms of address

Cantonese speakers may use kin-like titles for people outside the immediate biological family, especially family friends, elders, or familiar community members. The choice reflects social relationship and politeness, not a literal claim of kinship. Because the appropriate title depends on age, relationship, and family custom, listen to how relatives introduce the person before choosing one yourself.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master the full traditional kinship system at A1. It distinguishes many kinds of uncles, aunts, in-laws, and descendants much more precisely than English does. A relative’s position can depend on paternal versus maternal line, older versus younger status, gender, and marriage. Native-speaking families may also differ in which traditional distinctions they preserve in daily life.

Two advanced points help make later vocabulary less surprising:

• The reference point can shift. A woman may refer to someone as 我哥哥, but when speaking to her child she may use the title appropriate to that person’s relationship with the child. Kin terms work from a particular person’s place in the family network.
• A term can function like a name. Once the family role is understood, speakers can call or mention a relative by the kin title itself. This helps explain why possession is often unnecessary in direct address and why forms with 阿 feel name-like.

The cousin distinction also reflects a traditional surname-line model. 堂 conventionally groups the children of a father’s brothers, while 表 groups the remaining first-cousin branches. Contemporary surnames and family structures do not always match that historical model neatly, yet the vocabulary remains in use. When accuracy matters, follow the terminology used by the family concerned rather than forcing a theoretical family-tree label.

Finally, romanization cannot replace listening. Tone changes in kinship vocabulary are lexicalized—that is, they belong to the established pronunciation of the word. Dictionaries may document citation forms and changed-tone forms in different ways. For practical speech, imitate a reliable recording and remember the whole expression as one unit.

Practice Tips

1. Draw a small family tree. Label only eight people at first: 爸爸, 媽媽, 哥哥, 弟弟, 姐姐, 妹妹, and the relevant grandparent terms. Say 呢個係我… for each person.
2. Practice contrasts, not isolated lists. Pair 哥哥 with 弟弟, 姐姐 with 妹妹, 阿爺 with 公公, and 阿嫲 with 婆婆. The contrast is the meaning you need to remember.
3. Record three useful patterns. Say 我有…, 我冇…, and 佢係我… with different relatives. Then compare your tones with native audio, especially the second syllable of repeated terms.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Personal Pronouns — use 我, 你, and 佢 to identify whose family relationship you mean.
• Useful companion: Possessive 嘅 Particle — explains why 嘅 marks possession and why it is often omitted with close relatives.
• Useful companion: 有 (to have / there is) — use 有冇 to ask about siblings and other family members.
• Useful companion: Basic Classifiers (Measure Words) — needed for phrases such as 兩個妹妹.