How does the naming of relatives (cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, greatgrandparents) go? If the uncle or aunt is a great uncle or great aunt, how would the naming go? How would the naming go for a relative's spouse, such as a father's brother's wife or a mother's sister's husband? Thanks...
-Matt
cantonese translation (family words)
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Terence
Re: cantonese translation (family words)
Cantonese relatives naming may slightly vary due to different hometowns. Cantonese is my mother tongue and I list here my own vernacular naming.
Cousins:
Sons of father’s brothers:
Older : (written)堂兄tong4 hing1, (col.) 堂大老tong4 daai6 lou2, sometimes simply say 哥go1 with his name or sibling (sequence?) order in front. Younger : (written)堂弟 tong4 dai6, (col.)堂細老 tong4 sai3 lou2, sometimes directly address their name.
Daughters of father’s brothers:
Older : (written) 堂姊tong4 zi2 (col.) 堂家姐tong4 gaa1 ze1, the character 堂is always replaced by her name or sibling order. Younger : (written) 堂妹tong4 mui6 (col.) tong4 mui2, always call by her name.
Sons of father’s sisters:
Older: (written) 表兄biu2 hing1, (col.) 表哥 biu2 go1, always with his name or sibling order in front. Younger : (written) 表弟biu2 dai6, (col.) biu2 dai2, always with his name in front
Daughters of father’s sisters:
Older : (written) 表姊biu2 zi2 (col.) 表姐biu2 ze2, always with her name or sibling order in front. Younger : (written) 表妹biu2 mui6 (col.) biu2 mui2, always call her nameor order.
(for mother’s link) all cousins are called 表哥，表弟，表姐，表妹 depending on their sex and ages.
Uncles
Older than father, (written) 伯父baak3/8 fu6, (col.) 伯 baak3/8 with his sibling order in front e.g. 大伯daai6 baak3/8(first), 二伯ji6 baak3/8(2nd). Their wives are called伯娘 baak3/8 noeng4 also with order
Younger: (written) 叔父suk1/7 fu6, (col.) 叔 suk1/7 with siblings order. Their wives are called嬸 sam2, with order.
(maternal uncles) (written) 舅父kau5 fu6, (col.) kau5 fu2 with siblings order. Their wives are called舅母kau5 mou5(kam3 mou5, col.)
Aunts
Older than father, (written) 姑母gu1 mou5, (col.) 姑媽gu1 maa1, with siblings order in front. Younger:姑姐, gu1 ze1, with siblings order in front.
Their husbands are all called姑丈 gu1 zoeng6 (zoeng2, col.)
Older than mother, (written) 姨母ji4 mou5, (col.) 姨媽 ji4 maa1, order. Younger,姨ji4, (col.) 阿姨aa3 ji1, sometimes with order to substitute阿. Their husbands are all called姨丈 ji4 zoeng6 (zoeng2 col.)
Grandfather (written) 祖父 je4, (col.) 阿爺 aa3 je4 or 爺爺 je4 je2, (maternal): 外祖父, (col.) 外公 ngoi6 gung1
Grandmother (written) 祖母zou2 mou5, (col.) 阿 女麻aa3 maa4 or 女麻 女麻 maa4 maa4, (maternal) 外祖母ngoi6 zou2 mou5, (col.) 外婆 ngoi6 po4
Great grandpa (written) 曾祖父 zang1 zou2 fu6 (col.) 太爺 taai3 je4 (maternal) 太公taai3 gung1
Great grandma (written) 曾祖母 zang1 zou2 mou5 (col.) 太 女麻 taai3 maa4 (maternal) 太婆taai3 po4
Naming for paternal and maternal links of mother’s is the same as father’s maternal link. Be noted that paternal ancestor is also called太公
Great uncles: (maternal) 舅公kau5 gung1, (paternal) 伯/叔公 baak3/8/suk1/7 gung1
Cousins:
Sons of father’s brothers:
Older : (written)堂兄tong4 hing1, (col.) 堂大老tong4 daai6 lou2, sometimes simply say 哥go1 with his name or sibling (sequence?) order in front. Younger : (written)堂弟 tong4 dai6, (col.)堂細老 tong4 sai3 lou2, sometimes directly address their name.
Daughters of father’s brothers:
Older : (written) 堂姊tong4 zi2 (col.) 堂家姐tong4 gaa1 ze1, the character 堂is always replaced by her name or sibling order. Younger : (written) 堂妹tong4 mui6 (col.) tong4 mui2, always call by her name.
Sons of father’s sisters:
Older: (written) 表兄biu2 hing1, (col.) 表哥 biu2 go1, always with his name or sibling order in front. Younger : (written) 表弟biu2 dai6, (col.) biu2 dai2, always with his name in front
Daughters of father’s sisters:
Older : (written) 表姊biu2 zi2 (col.) 表姐biu2 ze2, always with her name or sibling order in front. Younger : (written) 表妹biu2 mui6 (col.) biu2 mui2, always call her nameor order.
(for mother’s link) all cousins are called 表哥，表弟，表姐，表妹 depending on their sex and ages.
Uncles
Older than father, (written) 伯父baak3/8 fu6, (col.) 伯 baak3/8 with his sibling order in front e.g. 大伯daai6 baak3/8(first), 二伯ji6 baak3/8(2nd). Their wives are called伯娘 baak3/8 noeng4 also with order
Younger: (written) 叔父suk1/7 fu6, (col.) 叔 suk1/7 with siblings order. Their wives are called嬸 sam2, with order.
(maternal uncles) (written) 舅父kau5 fu6, (col.) kau5 fu2 with siblings order. Their wives are called舅母kau5 mou5(kam3 mou5, col.)
Aunts
Older than father, (written) 姑母gu1 mou5, (col.) 姑媽gu1 maa1, with siblings order in front. Younger:姑姐, gu1 ze1, with siblings order in front.
Their husbands are all called姑丈 gu1 zoeng6 (zoeng2, col.)
Older than mother, (written) 姨母ji4 mou5, (col.) 姨媽 ji4 maa1, order. Younger,姨ji4, (col.) 阿姨aa3 ji1, sometimes with order to substitute阿. Their husbands are all called姨丈 ji4 zoeng6 (zoeng2 col.)
Grandfather (written) 祖父 je4, (col.) 阿爺 aa3 je4 or 爺爺 je4 je2, (maternal): 外祖父, (col.) 外公 ngoi6 gung1
Grandmother (written) 祖母zou2 mou5, (col.) 阿 女麻aa3 maa4 or 女麻 女麻 maa4 maa4, (maternal) 外祖母ngoi6 zou2 mou5, (col.) 外婆 ngoi6 po4
Great grandpa (written) 曾祖父 zang1 zou2 fu6 (col.) 太爺 taai3 je4 (maternal) 太公taai3 gung1
Great grandma (written) 曾祖母 zang1 zou2 mou5 (col.) 太 女麻 taai3 maa4 (maternal) 太婆taai3 po4
Naming for paternal and maternal links of mother’s is the same as father’s maternal link. Be noted that paternal ancestor is also called太公
Great uncles: (maternal) 舅公kau5 gung1, (paternal) 伯/叔公 baak3/8/suk1/7 gung1