sam1 pou5心抱
Jyutpingsam1 pou5
Yalesām póuh
Definition
Daughter-in-law; one's son's wife.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
This term is the standard, traditional way to refer to a daughter-in-law in Cantonese, reflecting a family-centric perspective. While younger generations might occasionally use the more neutral term 新抱, 心抱 remains deeply rooted in local speech and carries a slightly more intimate or traditional nuance. It is frequently used by parents-in-law when speaking about or to their son's spouse.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 心抱 (heart-embrace), which is a homophone used in some contexts to mean 'to take to heart' or 'to cherish', though the noun for daughter-in-law is the far more common usage.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
