oi3 cai1愛妻爱妻
Jyutpingoi3 cai1
Yaleoi chāi
Definition
Beloved wife.
neutralpeoplefamily
How it's used
The term is rarely used as a standalone noun to describe a wife herself, but rather functions as a descriptor for a man who is devoted to his spouse. It is most commonly encountered in the compound 愛妻號, which refers to a man who is exceptionally doting or henpecked in a positive, affectionate way. Using it to describe a woman directly can sound overly formal or literary, as if taken from a traditional wedding invitation or a formal letter.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a wife in casual conversation, as it sounds like a formal title or a newspaper headline. If you want to refer to your own wife, use 老婆 or 太太 instead.
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.
