mei6 mong4 jan4未亡人
Jyutpingmei6 mong4 jan4
Yalemeih mòhng yàhn
Definition
A widow; also used as a first-person pronoun by a widow.
writtenpeoplefamily
How it's used
This term carries a strong literary and archaic tone that is rarely heard in modern daily speech. It is primarily encountered in historical dramas, period novels, or formal obituaries. Using it in casual conversation to describe a recently bereaved woman can sound overly dramatic or even insensitive.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Her husband passed away, and the widow is supporting the whole family alone.
Does anyone still use the term widow (self-reference) nowadays?
Related words
Common phrases
a widow's self-reference
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a standard, neutral term for a widow. In reality, 遺孀 is the standard formal term, while 寡婦 is the common, albeit sometimes blunt, everyday term. Using 未亡人 in a normal context will make you sound like you are speaking lines from a costume drama.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
