aa3 maa5阿馬阿马
Jyutpingaa3 maa5
Yalea máh
Definition
Armagh in Northern Ireland; or an alternative spelling for mom, grandma, or a female servant.
- Armagh, a place in Northern Ireland
- colloquialalternative spelling of 阿媽 (mom, grandma, or a female servant)
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
While 阿馬 is a valid way to write the place name Armagh, it is overwhelmingly used as a common variant for 阿媽. In spoken Cantonese, the final syllable is often pronounced with a slightly higher or neutral tone when referring to a mother. It is a very intimate term, and using it for anyone other than one's own mother or a very familiar older woman can sound overly casual or even disrespectful.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the term 阿婆, which specifically refers to a grandmother or an elderly woman, whereas 阿媽 is strictly for mother.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
