gwai3 sing3貴姓贵姓
Jyutpinggwai3 sing3
Yalegwai sing
Definition
An honorific or polite way to ask for someone's surname.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
This is a highly formal and polite way to inquire about someone's surname in a professional or service setting. It functions as a set phrase and is rarely used in casual peer-to-peer interactions where it might sound overly stiff or distant. When answering, one should never use 貴姓 to refer to oneself, as the 貴 implies respect for the other person.
Examples
Excuse me, may I ask your surname?
Related words
Common phrases
May I ask your surname
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this when introducing themselves, but it is strictly for asking others. If you want to state your own surname, simply use 我姓 followed by your surname.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
