gau2 zuk6九族
Jyutpinggau2 zuk6
Yalegáu juhk
Definition
The nine generations of a family, spanning from great-great-grandfather to great-great-grandson.
writtenfamilypeople
How it's used
This term carries a heavy historical and dramatic weight, primarily associated with the brutal legal punishments of imperial China. It is rarely used in modern daily life except in historical dramas or as a hyperbolic expression to describe someone causing massive trouble for their entire extended family. Using it in a casual context often sounds overly theatrical or intense.
Examples
He did something wrong and implicated his entire family.
Related words
Common phrases
to implicate one's entire family
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal way to describe family members, but it is almost exclusively used in the context of collective punishment or extreme familial disgrace. It is not a standard way to refer to one's relatives or ancestors.
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.
