Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 嫲嫲 | maa⁴ maa⁴ |
| 祖母 | zou² mou⁵ |
The terms used to refer to one's father's mother depend on the social context. 嫲嫲 is the common, spoken way to address or refer to a paternal grandmother in daily conversation, acting as both a noun and a title. For more affectionate or informal speech, you might use 阿嫲. In some overseas Cantonese communities in the United States and Canada, younger generations may use the English term 'Grandma'.
Which one should you use?
嫲嫲 is the standard term for spoken conversation, whereas 祖母 is a formal, written term used in literature or official documents. While 嫲嫲 is common in speech, 阿嫲 serves as an even more informal and affectionate variation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain overseas Cantonese-speaking communities in the United States and Canada, the English word 'Grandma' is sometimes used by younger generations.
How do you pronounce it?
maa⁴ maa⁴
Did you know?
- In some traditional settings, a person might refer to their paternal grandmother using a title based on her home village to distinguish her from other grandmothers in a large extended family.
- The reduplication in 嫲嫲 is part of a wider linguistic pattern in Cantonese where repeating a syllable transforms a formal concept into a 'nursery' or affectionate word.
- In Cantonese culture, the strict linguistic separation between 嫲嫲 and the term for maternal grandmother reflects the historical importance of patrilineal descent.
Examples in context
- 我好鍾意同我阿嫲傾計。I love spending time with my grandma.
- 我嫲嫲好鍾意食點心。ngo5 maa4 maa4 hou2 zung1 ji3 sik6 dim2 sam1.My paternal grandmother loves eating dim sum.
- 我嫲嫲住喺荃灣。ngo5 maa4 maa4 zyu6 hai2 Tsuen1 waan1.My paternal grandmother lives in Tsuen Wan.
Example conversation
美玲 and 志強 are talking about their family members over tea.
- 美玲 Mei Ling志強，你嫲嫲身體好嗎？zi3 koeng4, nei5 maa4 maa4 san1 tai2 hou2 maa1?Chi Keung, is your paternal grandmother in good health?
- 志強 Chi Keung佢好，多謝你。keoi5 hou2, do1 ze6 nei5.She is well, thank you.
- 美玲 Mei Ling我嫲嫲最近都好健康。ngo5 maa4 maa4 zeoi3 gan6 dou1 hou2 gin6 hong1.My paternal grandmother has also been very healthy lately.
- 志強 Chi Keung咁就好喇。gam2 zau6 hou2 liu5.That is good then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “paternal grandmother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
