wai4 soeng1遺孀遗孀
Jyutpingwai4 soeng1
Yalewàih sēung
Definition
Widow; a woman whose husband has died.
writtenpeoplefamily
How it's used
Reserved for formal or journalistic contexts, this term is rarely used in casual daily conversation. It carries a respectful and solemn tone, making it appropriate for news reports, obituaries, or legal documents. When speaking informally about someone who has lost their husband, people typically use the phrase 死咗老公嘅女人 instead.
Measure word
wai6位waihExamples
She is the widow of that late professor.
The widow attended her husband's funeral today.
Related words
Common phrases
widow of a professor
widow's representative
Common mistake
Avoid using this word in casual settings as it sounds overly clinical or detached. It is strictly a noun to describe a person's status and is not used as a way to address someone directly.
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).
