11.8 Vocabulary: Family Members

In Grammar and Vocabulary 1.8, we learned the prefix for names 阿 aa3. 阿 aa3 also appears in some of the terms for family members below.

⚠️ We usually use 老母 lou5 mou2 to refer to our own mother only in informal contexts (e.g., when chatting with close friends). Some people find the word 老母 lou5 mou2 very offensive. You should use it with extra caution!

The word 老母 lou5 mou2 is part of the common swear word 屌你老母 diu2 nei5 lou5 mou2 (‘fuck your mother’). We can use it to swear at someone or simply express our anger without directing it to someone specific. We can also replace 你 nei5 with 佢 keoi5 and say 屌佢老母 diu2 keoi5 lou5 mou2 (‘fuck his or her mother’).

In Cantonese, we use different terms to address siblings depending on whether they are older or younger than us.

When 阿妹 aa3 mui2 is preceded by a number and a classifier, we can omit 阿 aa3.

However, for 阿哥 aa3 go1, we don’t omit 阿 aa3 even if it is preceded by a number and a classifier.

We sometimes use 哥 go1 (‘brother’) or 姐 ze1 (‘sister’) to refer to someone, especially those who are older than us, to show respect. We take the last syllable of their name and add 哥 go1 or 姐 ze1 after it.

Note that the tone of 哥 go1 or 姐 ze1 may change depending on the name it follows.

Note that the words 女 neoi2 (‘daughter’) and 女 neoi5 (‘female’), as in 女朋友 neoi5 pang4 jau5 (‘girlfriend’), are said with different tones.

When we use 仔仔 zai4 zai2 or 女女 neoi4 neoi2 to mean ‘son’ or ‘daughter’, we usually refer to someone who is still a child.

Note that the second syllables of the words 細路 sai3 lou6 (‘child’) and 細佬 sai3 lou2 (‘younger brother’) are said with different tones.

Pay attention to the use of these terms:

When we form a possessive construction with 仔 zai2 and 女 neoi2, we always need a classifier.

When parents address their children at home directly, they may use 阿仔 aa3 zai2 (阿 aa3 + 仔 zai2) and 阿女 aa3 neoi2 (阿 aa3 + 女 neoi2). However, they more often use the terms for siblings or the children’s names. For example, they may address the older son using 阿哥 aa3 go1 or his name.