zou2 fan4祖墳祖坟
Jyutpingzou2 fan4
Yalejóu fàhn
Definition
Ancestors' grave or ancestral tomb.
neutralfamilyfestival
How it's used
Referring to an ancestral grave often carries a sense of family legacy and filial piety in local culture. It is frequently mentioned in the context of grave sweeping during the Ching Ming or Chung Yeung festivals. The term is formal enough to be used in serious discussions about family history or feng shui, but it remains a standard noun in daily life.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He goes to pay respects at his ancestors' graves every Ching Ming Festival.
Related words
Common phrases
to pay respects at the ancestral grave
to clean or maintain the ancestral grave
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a regular grave, which is simply 墳墓. Using 祖墳 implies a specific connection to one's own lineage or family ancestors, rather than just any burial site.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
