Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 大肚 | daai⁶ tou⁵ | colloquial |
| 懷孕 / 怀孕 | waai⁴ jan⁶ | |
| 懷胎 / 怀胎 | waai⁴ toi¹ | |
| 有身己 | jau⁵ san¹ gei² | |
| 有喜 | jau⁵ hei² | colloquial, euphemistic |
| 有咗 | jau⁵ zo² | colloquial, euphemistic |
The terms used to describe being pregnant range from formal medical language to very casual or euphemistic expressions. Use 懷孕 or 懷胎 for formal descriptions of the state of pregnancy. In daily life, you might use the colloquial 大肚 to describe the physical state or the euphemisms 有喜 and 有咗 to speak about it more indirectly.
What does it mean word for word?
The colloquial term 大肚 literally means 'big belly'.
Which one should you use?
The term 大肚 is common in everyday speech but can sound blunt or overly casual. In contrast, 懷孕 is the more respectful, standard term. For a polite and indirect way to express the idea, you can use the euphemisms 有喜 or 有咗.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Formal and medical contexts should use 懷孕 (to be pregnant/pregnancy) or 懷胎. A formal way to specifically refer to a pregnant woman is 孕婦. For polite, euphemistic social situations, use 有喜. In very informal, daily conversations, you may use the colloquialisms 大肚, 有咗 or the phrase 大肚婆 to refer to a pregnant woman.
How do you pronounce it?
daai6 tou5
When do people say it?
Cantonese speakers often use euphemisms like 有喜 (to have good news) or 有咗 (having [it]) to avoid directness when talking about pregnancy in social settings.
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the word for 'pregnancy' can be expressed through the character 懷 (waai4), which also carries the meaning of 'to cherish' or 'to carry in one's heart'.
- Among older generations, avoiding the word 孕 in casual speech was once common because direct references to pregnancy were thought to attract bad luck or envy.
- While 大肚 literally translates to 'big belly', calling a woman 大肚婆 (daai6 tou5 po4) can be perceived as quite derogatory or disrespectful depending on the tone and setting.
Examples in context
- 我有咗I am pregnant.
- 有咗小朋友Having [a] child
- 佢而家大肚咗。keoi5 ji4 gaa1 daai6 dou6 zo2.She is pregnant now.
- 大肚婆要小心啲。daai6 dou6 po4 jiu3 siu2 sam1 di1.A pregnant woman needs to be careful.
- 佢大肚幾個月喇？keoi5 daai6 dou6 gei2 go3 jyut6 laa3?How many months pregnant is she?
Example conversation
A couple is discussing a friend's news at a cafe.
- 子健 Tsz Kin聽講阿珍大肚咗呀？ting1 gong2 aa3 zan1 daai6 dou6 zo2 aa3?I heard that Ah Zhen is pregnant?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung係呀，佢大肚好耐喇。hai6 aa3, keoi5 daai6 dou6 hou2 doi6 laa3.Yes, she has been pregnant for a long time.
- 子健 Tsz Kin佢仲好精神喎。keoi5 zung6 hou2 zing3 san4 wo4.She still looks very energetic.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung係呀，佢個人好健康。hai6 aa3, keoi5 jat1 go3 hou2 gin6 hong6.Yeah, she is very healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnant” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
