maa1 zai2孖仔
Jyutpingmaa1 zai2
Yalemā jái
Definition
Twin brothers; male twins.
colloquialpeoplefamily
How it's used
Refers specifically to male twins, though it is often used colloquially to refer to any pair of twins regardless of gender. When referring to a pair of twins, the measure word 對 is almost always used before the term. It carries a friendly and informal tone compared to the more clinical 雙胞胎.
Measure word
deoi3對deuiExamples
Those two brothers are twins.
Related words
Common phrases
a pair of twin brothers
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to a pair of identical objects, as it is strictly for people. If you want to describe two things that are paired together, such as socks or shoes, use 孖 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
