ji4 sang1姨甥
Jyutpingji4 sang1
Yaleyìh sāng
Definition
A woman's sister's child; a nephew or niece from a female perspective.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Cantonese kinship terms are highly specific compared to English. While English uses nephew and niece for both siblings' children, Cantonese distinguishes between those born to a brother and those born to a sister. Using 姨甥 specifically identifies the child as belonging to a female sibling, which is essential for maintaining clear family hierarchies.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My nephew just started university this year.
When will you bring your niece out to play?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 姨甥 with 姪, which refers specifically to a brother's children. If you are a man, your sister's children are your 外甥, not your 姨甥.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
