fu6 mou5父母
Jyutpingfu6 mou5
Yalefuh móuh
Definition
Parents; father and mother.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
While 父母 is the standard term for parents, it is primarily used in formal or written contexts. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people almost exclusively use 爸爸媽媽 or 老豆老母 when referring to their own parents or someone else's. Using 父母 in casual conversation can sound slightly detached or overly serious, similar to saying 'my progenitors' in English.
Examples
Did your parents go for dim sum today?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 父母 as a direct address. You would never call your parents 父母; instead, use 爸爸, 媽咪, or 阿爸, 阿媽.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- 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.
