kwan4 goek3 zai2裙腳仔裙脚仔
Jyutpingkwan4 goek3 zai2
Yalekwàhn geuk jái
Definition
Mama's boy; a man or boy who is overly dependent on his mother.
colloquialpeoplefamily
How it's used
The term carries a strong sense of disapproval and implies a lack of maturity or independence. It is used exclusively to describe adult or adolescent males who are perceived as being overly sheltered or controlled by their mothers. The imagery of clinging to the hem of a skirt highlights the infantilization of the man in the eyes of society.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is such a mama's boy, he needs his mom's opinion on everything.
When will you finally get rid of your mama's boy personality?
Related words
Common phrases
to be a mama's boy
Common mistake
Do not use this term to describe a man who is simply kind or respectful to his mother. It is specifically reserved for cases where the attachment is seen as a character flaw that hinders the person's ability to function as an independent adult.
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.
