je4 noeng4爺娘爷娘
Jyutpingje4 noeng4
Yaleyèh nèuhng
Definition
Parents; father and mother.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers to parents in a traditional or slightly rustic way, often carrying a sense of warmth or familial intimacy. While widely understood, it is less common in modern urban speech than 父母 or 老豆老母, which are preferred for neutral or casual contexts respectively. Using this term can sound slightly old fashioned or evoke a more traditional family dynamic.
Examples
Did your parents go for dim sum today?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in formal writing or professional settings, as it sounds colloquial and potentially archaic. It is not a direct replacement for 父母 in all contexts, as it lacks the neutral, objective tone required for official documents or news reports.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
