gu1 maa1姑媽姑妈
Jyutpinggu1 maa1
Yalegū mā
Definition
Paternal aunt; one's father's elder sister.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Cantonese kinship terms are highly specific, distinguishing between paternal and maternal sides and birth order. 姑媽 refers strictly to the father's elder sister, whereas the father's younger sister is called 姑姐. Using these terms correctly is essential for showing proper respect within a traditional family structure.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My aunt is coming over for dinner next week.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 姑媽 with 姨媽, which refers to the mother's elder sister. Remember that 姑 refers to the father's side of the family, while 姨 refers to the mother's side.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
