Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 伯伯 | baak³ baak³ |
| 叔叔 | suk¹ suk¹ |
| 姑丈 | |
| 舅父 | |
| 姨丈 |
Cantonese uses different words for uncle based on the specific family connection. While some terms identify a precise relative, others are used socially to address men of a similar generation to one's parents.
Which one should you use?
The terms differ based on the specific relationship: 舅父 refers specifically to a mother's brother, 姑丈 refers to the husband of one's father's sister and 姨丈 refers to the husband of one's mother's sister. In contrast, 叔叔 is a colloquial term used to address any man of a similar generation to one's parents in a casual setting.
How do you pronounce it?
baak³ baak³
When do people say it?
In social settings, it is common to use 叔叔 as a polite way to address men who are roughly the same age as your parents, even if they are not related to you.
Did you know?
- If you use 伯伯 for a man who is clearly younger than your father, it might be interpreted as a joke or a sarcastic comment about his appearing old.
- The distinction between 伯伯 and 叔叔 depends on the father's age. 伯伯 is used for an older brother of the father and 叔叔 for a younger brother.
- Because Cantonese has so many specific terms for 'uncle', a speaker can tell exactly which branch of a family tree a person belongs to just by hearing the word used.
Examples in context
- 我舅父住喺西班牙嘅首都馬德里。My uncle lives in Madrid, the capital of Spain.This sentence uses 舅父 to describe a mother's brother living in Madrid.Tatoeba #10645895 by clowergen, translation #65077 by CK
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Ming and Mei Ling are looking at a family photo.
- 家明 Ka Ming呢位係我嘅伯伯。ni1 wai2 si6 ngo5 ge3 baak3 baak3.This is my uncle.
- 美玲 Mei Ling佢係你爸爸嘅哥哥呀？keoi5 si6 nei5 baa2 baa1 ge3 go3 go2 aa3?Is he your father's older brother?
- 家明 Ka Ming係呀，伯伯而家喺美國住。hai6 aa3, baak3 baak3 ji4 gaa1 hai2 mei5 gwok3 zyu6.Yes, my uncle lives in America now.
- 美玲 Mei Ling原來佢住得咁遠！jyun4 loi4 keoi5 zyu6 dak1 gam3 jyun2!So he lives that far away!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
