maa1 zou2媽祖妈祖
Jyutpingmaa1 zou2
Yalemā jóu
Definition
Mazu, a female East Asian sea deity commonly known as Tin Hau in Hong Kong.
neutralpeopleplaces
How it's used
Hong Kongers almost exclusively refer to this deity as 天后 rather than 媽祖. The name 天后 is so deeply embedded in the local landscape that it serves as the name for an entire district and an MTR station. Using 媽祖 is understood, but it sounds like a formal or mainland Chinese reference rather than the local vernacular.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the deity with the district name 天后, though they are etymologically linked. When speaking about the location, locals simply say 天后, but when referring to the goddess, it is common to add 廟 to clarify you mean the temple or the figure.
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.
