aa3 maa4阿嫲啊嫲
Jyutpingaa3 maa4
Yalea màh
Definition
Paternal grandmother; father's mother.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the paternal grandmother in Cantonese culture. It carries a warmer, more intimate tone than the formal term 祖母. When speaking to or about her, it is common to use the term with a sense of respect and affection.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 外婆, which is used specifically for the maternal grandmother. Using the wrong term can be seen as a mistake in family hierarchy and naming conventions.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
