Uniquely Teochew/Minnan Kinship Terms (2)

This is the second in a series of posts on Teochew kinship terms, featuring words used to address relatives that are found in Teochew or other Minnan languages but not in Mandarin.

阿妗 a1gim6 • mother’s brother’s wife • 舅母 jiùmǔ

阿姆 a1m2 • father’s elder brother’s wife • 伯母 bómǔ

Two Teochew terms for two types of aunts are distinct from Mandarin: a1gim6 (mother’s brother’s wife) and a1m2 (father’s elder brother’s wife). No distinction is made between one’s mother’s elder and younger brothers or their spouses.

a1m2 is also used as a respectful way to address an older woman. a1gim6 is also used in Cantonese.

The remaining types of aunts use equivalent or similar terms as in Mandarin:

阿嬸 a1sim2 • father’s younger brother’s wife • 嬸母 shěnmǔ / 嬸嬸 shěnshěn

阿姨 a1i5 • mother’s sister • 姨母 yímǔ / 姨姨 yíyí

阿姑 a1gou1 • father’s sister • 姑母 gūmǔ / 姑姑 gūgū

What about uncles? The Teochew terms are equivalent or similar to those used in Mandarin:

阿舅 a1gu6 • mother’s brother • 舅父 jìufù / 舅舅 jìujìu

姨丈 i5diên6 • mother’s sister’s husband • 姨丈 yízhàng

阿伯 a1bêh4 • father’s older brother • 伯父 bófù / 伯伯 bóbó

阿叔 a1zêg4 • father’s younger brother • 叔父 shūfù / 叔叔 shūshū

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Posted on 2021-01-17 00:00:00 +0000


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