lou5姥
Jyutpinglou5
Yalelóuh
Definition
Maternal grandmother.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to a mother's mother, distinguishing her from the paternal grandmother who is called 嫲嫲. While 姥 is the standard term in some northern dialects, it is less common in everyday Hong Kong speech compared to 外婆 or the more colloquial 外婆. Using it in conversation can sound slightly formal or regional depending on the speaker's family background.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Does your maternal grandmother live in Sham Shui Po?
Related words
Common phrases
maternal grandmother (often used in storytelling or northern-influenced contexts)
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 嫲嫲, which is the standard term for a paternal grandmother. Using 姥 to refer to a father's mother will cause confusion as it strictly denotes the maternal side.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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.
