song3 ngau5喪偶丧偶
Jyutpingsong3 ngau5
Yalesong ngáuh
Definition
To be widowed; to lose one's spouse.
neutralpeoplefamily
How it's used
Carries a formal and slightly clinical tone, often appearing in official documents or news reports rather than casual conversation. When speaking colloquially about someone whose spouse has passed away, people prefer using phrases like 另一半走咗 or 變咗單身.
Examples
Ever since being widowed, he has become very quiet.
Related words
Common phrases
unfortunately widowed
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe the deceased person, as it specifically refers to the surviving spouse. It is a verb describing a state of being, not a noun for the person themselves.
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.
