仔女
In Cantonese, 'child' can be translated in several ways. The default form is 仔女. Wiktionary also lists 細路 / 细路 (sai³ lou⁶) and 細蚊仔 / 细蚊仔 (sai³ man¹ zai²).
Meaning: son or daughter, someone's child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 仔女 | |
| 細路 / 细路 | sai³ lou⁶ |
| 細蚊仔 / 细蚊仔 | sai³ man¹ zai² |
| 細路哥 / 细路哥 | sai³ lou⁶ go¹ |
| 細路仔 / 细路仔 | sai³ lou⁶ zai² |
The term 仔女 is used to refer to a son or daughter. Other forms like 細路 are used to refer to children or kids in a general sense, regardless of whose child they are.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 仔女 literally translates to 'son and daughter'.
Which one should you use?
細路 is a general, colloquial term for a child or a kid. 細路哥 is a colloquial term often used to refer to a young boy or a child in a slightly more playful or descriptive way. 細蚊仔 is a highly colloquial and affectionate way to refer to a very small child, literally meaning 'small mosquito child'.
How does it change in a sentence?
In terms like 細路仔 or 細蚊仔, the character 仔 acts as a diminutive suffix to make the noun sound smaller or more endearing.
Did you know?
- In traditional Cantonese culture, the preference for a 'son' is reflected in the order of the characters in 仔女, placing 'son' first.
- Using the term 細路 to refer to an adult can be a way to jokingly or condescendingly call them 'childish' or 'immature'.
- The suffix 哥 in 細路哥 literally means 'older brother', but when attached to 'child', it functions as a playful label rather than defining a sibling relationship.
Examples in context
- 佢好疼愛佢嘅仔女。keoi5 hou2 tung1 oi3 keoi5 ge3 zai2 neoi5.He loves his children very much.
- 你想送咩禮物畀仔女？nei5 soeng2 sung3 me1 lai6 mat6 bei2 zai2 neoi5?What gifts do you want to give your children?
- 佢對仔女要求好高。keoi5 deoi3 zai2 neoi5 jiu1 kau4 hou2 gou1.She has very high expectations for her children.
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting about their families.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan俊傑，你有冇仔女？jun3 git3, nei5 jau5 mou5 zai2 neoi2?Jun Kit, do you have any children?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit我有一個仔同一個女。ngo5 jau5 jat1 go3 zai1 tung4 jat1 go3 neoi2.I have one son and one daughter.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你對仔女今年幾多歲？nei5 deoi3 zai2 neoi2 gam1 nin4 gei2 do1 seoi3?How old are your children this year?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit佢哋分別五歲同七歲。keoi5 dei6 fan1 bit6 ng5 seoi3 tung4 cat1 seoi3.They are five and seven years old respectively.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
