爺爺嫲嫲
je4 je4 maa4 maa4
The Cantonese phrase for "grandma and grandpa" (specifically the paternal grandparents) is 爺爺嫲嫲 (je4 je4 maa4 maa4).
Use 爺爺嫲嫲 to refer specifically to the father's parents (the paternal grandfather and paternal grandmother).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the terms for each grandparent. The second part, 嫲嫲 (maa4 maa4), refers to the paternal grandmother.
Which one should you use?
爺爺嫲嫲 refers to the father's parents. To refer to the maternal grandparents (the mother's parents), you should use 外公外婆 (ngoi6 gung1 ngoi6 po4).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain areas, the term 婆婆 is used to address one's paternal grandmother.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase for paternal grandparents is formed by concatenating the terms for the grandfather and grandmother.
How do you pronounce it?
je4 je4 maa4 maa4
Did you know?
- If you call a random elderly woman 嫲嫲 on the street in Hong Kong, it is often seen as a warm, respectful way to address a stranger, rather than a literal claim of kinship.
- The terms for maternal grandparents, 外公外婆, include the character 外, which literally means 'outside'.
- The phonetic repetition in 爺爺 and 嫲嫲 is a common linguistic pattern in Cantonese used to create intimate or familial titles.
Examples in context
- 爺爺嫲嫲今日去咗公園。je4 je4 maa4 maa4 gam1 jat6 heoi3 zo2 gung1 jyun2.Grandma and grandpa went to the park today.
- 你想同爺爺嫲嫲講咩呀？nei5 soeng2 tung4 je4 je4 maa4 maa4 gong2 me1 aa3?What do you want to say to your grandma and grandpa?
Example conversation
A young woman is calling her brother to ask about their family.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan志強，爺爺嫲嫲喺邊度呀？zi3 koeng4, je4 je4 maa4 maa4 hai2 bin1 dou6 aa3?Zhiqiang, where are grandma and grandpa?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢哋喺屋企睇電視。keoi5 dei6 hai2 uk1 kei2 tai2 din6 si6.They are at home watching TV.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan咁我等陣去探爺爺嫲嫲。gam2 ngo5 dang2 zan6 heoi3 taan3 je4 je4 maa4 maa4.Then I will go visit grandma and grandpa later.
- 志強 Chi Keung好呀，我一齊去。hou2 aa3, ngo5 jat1 cai4 heoi3.Okay, I will go with you.
