姓氏
sing3 si6
The Cantonese phrase for "last name" is 姓氏 (sing3 si6).
姓氏 refers to the family name passed down from parents to children. It is most commonly used in formal contexts, such as filling out official forms or in formal introductions.
How do you pronounce it?
sing3 si6
Did you know?
- The character 姓 is composed of two parts: 'woman' and 'birth'. This reflects an ancient period when lineages were traced through the maternal line.
- In traditional Cantonese wedding customs, a woman historically kept her 姓氏 after marriage. Unlike in many English-speaking cultures, there was no tradition of taking the husband's name.
- Ancient Chinese surnames often originated from the names of ancestral villages or geographical features, meaning a person's 姓氏 can sometimes pinpoint the exact region their ancestors called home.
Examples in context
- 佢嘅姓氏好常見。keoi5 ge3 sing3 si6 hou2 soeng4 gin3.His last name is very common.
- 請喺表格上面寫低你嘅姓氏。cing2 hai2 gam2 biu2 soeng6 min6 se2 dai1 nei5 ge3 sing3 si6.Please write down your last name on the form.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are filling out a registration form together.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting家明，你喺呢度填你嘅姓氏。ga1 ming4, nei5 hai2 nei2 dou3 tin4 nei5 ge3 sing3 si6.Ka Ming, fill in your last name here.
- 家明 Ka Ming好，我填咗喇。hou2, ngo5 tin4 zo2 laa3.Okay, I've filled it in.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting唔該，而家填你個名。m4 goi1, ji1 gaa1 tin4 nei5 go3 ming4.Thanks, now fill in your first name.
- 家明 Ka Ming冇問題，搞掂。mou5 man6 tai4, gaau2 din6.No problem, it's done.
