can1 cik1親戚亲戚
Jyutpingcan1 cik1
Yalechān chīk
Definition
Relative; kinsman connected by blood or marriage.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to people connected by blood or marriage, often implying a sense of obligation or social expectation during festivals. It is common to add the particle 啲 when referring to a group, such as 親戚啲人, to sound more natural in casual speech. Unlike some other cultures, the term is used quite broadly to include both close and distant relations.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Many relatives come to the house for dinner during Chinese New Year.
Which other relatives of yours live in Hong Kong?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it to refer to friends or acquaintances, as it strictly denotes familial ties. Learners sometimes mistakenly use it for anyone they know well, but it should be reserved for those within the extended family network.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
