hing1 zoeng2兄長兄长
Jyutpinghing1 zoeng2
Yalehīng jéung
Definition
An elegant or formal expression for an elder brother.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
Using this term sounds significantly more formal or respectful than the everyday 哥哥. It is frequently encountered in written correspondence, formal introductions, or when speaking about someone else's family with a degree of deference. You will rarely hear it used in casual, intimate conversation between close friends.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
His elder brother takes good care of the family.
Are all of your elder brothers in business?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to refer to your own brother in casual settings, as it can sound overly stiff or pretentious. Stick to 哥哥 or the specific name if you are talking to peers.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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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).
