gu1 zoeng6姑丈
Jyutpinggu1 zoeng6
Yalegū jeuhng
Definition
Uncle; the husband of one's father's sister.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Cantonese kinship terms are highly specific and strictly distinguish between maternal and paternal sides. 姑丈 specifically refers to the husband of your father's sister, whereas the husband of your mother's sister is called 姨丈. Using these terms correctly is essential for showing proper respect within a traditional family structure.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My uncle is coming to our house for dinner next week.
Do you remember what gift your uncle gave you?
Related words
Common phrases
one's own uncle (father's sister's husband)
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 叔叔 or 伯伯 to address any older man in the family, but these are reserved for your father's brothers. Using the wrong title can sound quite unnatural or disrespectful to elders who value these specific distinctions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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.
