haau2 bei2考妣
Jyutpinghaau2 bei2
Yaleháau béi
Definition
Deceased father and mother; deceased parents.
writtenfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to one's parents who have already passed away, often appearing in formal contexts like obituaries, funeral inscriptions, or ancestral tablets. Using this term in casual conversation can sound overly formal, archaic, or even slightly morbid depending on the tone. It is essentially a literary way to refer to deceased parents rather than a term used for living ones.
Examples
Both of his parents passed away a long time ago.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for parents, but it is strictly reserved for those who are deceased. Using it to describe living parents is incorrect and highly inappropriate.
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.
