ngoi6 sang1外甥
Jyutpingngoi6 sang1
Yalengoih sāng
Definition
A man's sister's children; a nephew or niece through the male speaker's sister.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the children of one's sister. Unlike English which uses nephew and niece to distinguish gender, this term is gender neutral in Cantonese and covers both boys and girls. It is common to hear the phrase 外甥多似舅, which highlights the cultural observation that a man often shares physical traits or personality quirks with his sister's children.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common phrases
A man and his nephew are often very similar
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 姪, which refers specifically to the children of one's brother. Using the wrong term can cause confusion regarding family lineage and relationships.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
