zat6姪
Jyutpingzat6
Yalejaht
Definition
One's brother's child, or one's wife's brother's child.
neutralfamily
How it's used
Cantonese kinship terms are highly specific compared to English, distinguishing between siblings' children based on the parent's gender and the speaker's gender. 姪 refers specifically to the children of one's brother, whereas the children of one's sister are referred to as 外甥. Using the wrong term can cause confusion regarding family lineage.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
My nephew is very well-behaved and always helps with chores.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 姪 with 外甥. Remember that 姪 is for your brother's children, while 外甥 is for your sister's children.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
