gon1 noeng4乾娘干娘
Jyutpinggon1 noeng4
Yalegōn nèuhng
Definition
Godmother; a woman with whom one has entered into a sworn mother-child relationship.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
While 乾娘 is the formal term, it is rarely used in daily speech in Hong Kong. Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 契媽 to refer to a godmother. The term implies a formal, often ceremonial, bond that carries significant social weight within a family circle.
Measure word
go3個goRelated words
Common phrases
to formally acknowledge someone as a godmother
Common mistake
Do not use 乾娘 in casual conversation as it sounds like a term from a period drama or a formal novel. Always use 契媽 to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
