5 Groups Of Important Cantonese Vocabulary For Family
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/yue/cantonese-vocabulary-for-family/
What does a typical family in Cantonese culture look like? Hong Kongers are family-oriented. Most of the families in this country live in nuclear families because of the high cost of living spaces in Hong Kong. But, what’s fantastic about them is they still maintain the traditional Chinese concepts like family solidarity and family glory even though there are many influences from Western culture.
Hong Kongers’ family culture is guided by filial piety, which is common for most Southeast Asian countries. In this culture, hierarchal seniority is determined by age which means, all the family members are expected to show respect to their elders. In fact, they pay respect to their ancestors at least twice a year. There are different ways to pay respect to elders, and one of them is through language. So, let us learn this Cantonese vocabulary for family (家庭 gaa1 ting4).
Family Members In Cantonese
Just like in another culture, each family members in the Cantonese culture have their own responsibilities. But, the Cantonese family tree is more complicated than other cultures. It may be very daunting to learn at first, but once you’ve got to practice it yourself, you’ll understand it better. What can be confusing at first is that Cantonese terms differ from the maternal or paternal side. But, you don’t have to worry because the terms you’ll learn below have English translations that will help you get through.
You also don’t have to memorize every Cantonese vocabulary for a family written in this post if you are not marrying a local or have a close friend who practices this culture. Instead, you may start learning about the nuclear family and consider other relatives as a bonus.
1. 父母 (Fu6 Mou5) — Parents
Parents are the heart of every family. Traditionally, the father is the main provider and the head of the family, while the mother takes care of the household. But, in these modern times, women have proven their place in society, so many families in Hong Kong hire a maid to the house chores while both parents are working.
So, if you want to learn the Cantonese vocabulary for family related to parents, please refer to the words below:
Father
Mother
2. 孩子 (Haai4 Zi2) (FormalWritten) — Children
Children are expected to be respectful and obedient to their parents. Because parents want their children to succeed in life, they provide their children a quality education. So, if you want to learn Cantonese vocabulary for family related to children, create a room in your mind for these words:
Son, Younger Brother, Elder Brother, Grandson,
Daughter, Younger Sister, Elder Sister, Granddaughter
3. Grandparents
Just like what is written above, Cantonese culture is rooted in the Confucian belief — filial piety. Other family members respect Elders. This is also why sending grandparents to the home for the aged is not a practice in Cantonese culture. Elders are expected to be treated with respect, love, and kindness by the family for a lifetime. So, here’s the Cantonese vocabulary for family related to grandparents that you need to know.
Grandfather
Grandmother
4. Relatives (親戚 chānchìk)
Relatives are also valued in the family. Although most Hong Kongers usually live with the nuclear family, the extended family is still important for them as they believe in the concept of family glory. So you’ll bring your family’s reputation to everything you do. This is the part mentioned above where terms depend on the maternal or paternal side.
Brace yourself with more Cantonese vocabulary for family. Of course, this would not be that useful when you’re just traveling, but it would still be great if you have an idea about this.
4. Relatives (親戚 chānchìk)
Relatives are also valued in the family. Although most Hong Kongers usually live with the nuclear family, the extended family is still important for them as they believe in the concept of family glory. So you’ll bring your family’s reputation to everything you do. This is the part mentioned above where terms depend on the maternal or paternal side.
Brace yourself with more Cantonese vocabulary for family. Of course, this would not be that useful when you’re just traveling, but it would still be great if you have an idea about this.
Words And Phares Related To Family
Now that you have learned the Cantonese vocabulary for family, you are now ready to use those in sentences for better pronunciation. Here are some sentences you can use to practice your spoken language about Cantonese vocabulary for family.
Going On A Trip To Hong Kong? Learn Cantonese Now!
Hong Kong is a place where you can bring your whole family, from youngest to oldest, to enjoy. So if you are planning a trip to this country, make sure to back yourself up with Cantonese phrases like basic words and phrases, travel phrases, saying ‘Thank You’ and saying ‘Sorry.’ Not only will it make your travel smoother but you’ll also have the opportunity to connect with the locals and understand their culture better. But, how will you do that? It’s easy, learn Cantonese with Ling App.
Ling App is a language learning app developed to help language learners learn languages conveniently and fun. If you often bring a dictionary with you, with Ling App, you don’t have to because everything can be learned as long as you have a phone/computer and internet connection. Vocabularies are arranged like flashcards with audio recordings from native speakers.
What more can you ask for? Say goodbye to books and start learning Cantonese and other languages now!
