aa3 go1阿哥
Jyutpingaa3 go1
Yalea gō
Definition
Elder brother.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Using 阿哥 is the standard way to refer to an elder brother in daily conversation, whereas 哥哥 is often perceived as more formal or written. It is also common to use the term as a friendly, informal way to address a male friend who is slightly older than you. When speaking to the person directly, you can simply call them 阿哥 to show respect and closeness.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My elder brother doesn't need to go to work today.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 哥哥 in casual speech as it sounds like a direct translation from Mandarin or a term used by very young children. Stick to 阿哥 for natural sounding Cantonese.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
