<p>According to <a href="http://www.syndict.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this site</a>: </p>

<p>阿: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>釋義： 1.放在稱謂（如爸、嬸、公、姐等）前，表尊敬。2.放在名字前，表親切，同輩之間或長輩稱呼晚輩時使用。  用例：
  1.阿爸、阿媽、阿公、阿婆、阿叔、阿嬸……2、阿明、阿小珠、阿飛……</p>
</blockquote>

<p>阿妹: 1. 孩子（不管晚輩男女，長輩都可稱其阿妹）。2. 女孩子。 </p>

<p>阿姐: 姐姐（部分地區也指姑姑）。許多地區稱姐姐為“阿姊”。 </p>

<p>阿妈: 媽媽，母親。</p>

<p>阿孃: 1、伯母，伯父的妻子（五華、惠州等地）。2、泛指老婦女。</p>

<p>阿祖: unable to find; I guess it might belong to meaning 2: "放在名字前，表親切，同輩之間或長輩稱呼晚輩時使用。" So, 祖 might be just a person's name.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-26T10:08:50.787Z
阿祖 could be the same as this one http://twblg.dict.edu.tw/holodict_new/result_detail.jsp?n_no=4604&curpage=1&sample=%E9%98%BF&radiobutton=1&querytarget=1&limit=100000&pagenum=1&rowcount=49 釋義  曾祖父母。稱謂。稱呼祖父的父母親。
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-25T23:31:53.900Z
2017-09-25T23:38:49.897Z
2017-09-25T23:38:49.897Z
dan
<p><a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/934/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/934/</a></p>
<p><em>[1] [n] prefix to a name or term of address</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p>What do these words mean:</p>
<p>阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖?</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>prefix to a name</strong>: adding 阿 before a noun indicates it is a name, e.g. 阿豬, 阿狗 (if you only say 豬 or 狗, people would presume you are talking about an anime)</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>term of address</strong>: adding 阿 before the name or title of someone indicates you are addressing that person. ( if you only say 妹, 姐, 孃 or 祖, they might not know you are addressing them or just acknowledging their present, like a kid looking at an apple and say  &quot;Apple!&quot; ) ; you can also address 阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈 in third person, for example, 我阿妹, 我阿姐, 我阿妈 instead of 我的妹妹, 我的姐姐, 我的妈妈</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T14:54:28.557Z
If 阿爹 is (指)年轻的父亲 and 阿伯 is 上了年纪的父亲 ---- then I doubt it is that **simple** - otherwise I wouldn't need to bother asking this question........ 阿妲 means: 伯母、伯娘、婶娘 |||| 阿宝 means 表兄妹或表兄弟的统称，即老表 -----
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-25T03:49:57.493Z
@user3306356 It might be regional I think.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-25T09:18:20.147Z
Yes @dan dan I’m specifically asking about Sichuanese Hakka as I mentioned multiple times in my question.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T14:24:56.103Z
2017-09-24T14:47:56.737Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>Let's keep it <strong>simple</strong>:</p>

<p>If you are a American or familiar with them, you must hear that someone whose name is Lawrence/Timothy/George..... sometimes also can be referred by Larry/Tim/Georgie....</p>

<p>Now you're witnessing the Chinese version of it. And the Chinese version also add rules like Father->something like "Fatherie"? I make it up myself.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-29T05:56:05.907Z
2017-09-29T05:56:05.907Z
Kevman
<p>Sichuanese contains a lot of words from other topolects (Hakka, Min, Cantonese, etc.) thanks to the great migration.</p>
<p>There are a bunch of 阿-prefixed forms of address</p>
<p>《四川方言词典》explains:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/nib1l.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/nib1l.png" alt="阿" /></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>阿 a1 (缀)</p>
<p>用在某些亲属名称的前面（川西部分地区）：～爹|～伯|～哥。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>While also offering the following examples:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/GWuCm.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GWuCm.png" alt="阿" /></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>阿爸 a1 ba2 (名) 叔父。</p>
<p>阿伯 a1 be2 (名) ①上了年纪的父亲。②伯父。</p>
<p>阿爹 a1 die1 (名) 指年轻的父亲。</p>
<p>阿兄 a1 xiong1 (名) 弟弟 (同“阿哥”相对)。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here 阿哥 is clearly, also marked as a an 阿-prefixed Sichuanese Hakka form of address - meaning 哥哥 presumably.</p>
<p>《雨城方言》also lists</p>
<blockquote>
<p>阿妹</p>
<p>阿姐</p>
<p>阿妈</p>
<p>阿孃</p>
<p>阿祖</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What do these words mean:</p>
<p>阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖?</p>
<p>I can guess, but I'm sure I won't be right. (They very well might differ from proper Hakka, as well).</p>

<meaning>
Some 阿-prefix Sichuanese Hakka words (阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖) - what do they mean?
# Some 阿-prefix Sichuanese Hakka words (阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖) - what do they mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-24)

Sichuanese contains a lot of words from other topolects (Hakka, Min, Cantonese, etc.) thanks to the great migration.

There are a bunch of 阿-prefixed forms of address

《四川方言词典》explains:

[![阿](https://i.sstatic.net/nib1l.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/nib1l.png)

> 阿 a1 (缀)
>
> 用在某些亲属名称的前面（川西部分地区）：～爹|～伯|～哥。

While also offering the following examples:

[![阿](https://i.sstatic.net/GWuCm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/GWuCm.png)

> 阿爸 a1 ba2 (名) 叔父。
>
> 阿伯 a1 be2 (名) ①上了年纪的父亲。②伯父。
>
> 阿爹 a1 die1 (名) 指年轻的父亲。
>
> 阿兄 a1 xiong1 (名) 弟弟 (同“阿哥”相对)。

Here 阿哥 is clearly, also marked as a an 阿-prefixed Sichuanese Hakka form of address - meaning 哥哥 presumably.

《雨城方言》also lists

> 阿妹
>
> 阿姐
>
> 阿妈
>
> 阿孃
>
> 阿祖

What do these words mean:

阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖?

I can guess, but I'm sure I won't be right. (They very well might differ from proper Hakka, as well).

**Tags:** meaning


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-25. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

According to [this site](http://www.syndict.com/):

阿:

> 釋義： 1.放在稱謂（如爸、嬸、公、姐等）前，表尊敬。2.放在名字前，表親切，同輩之間或長輩稱呼晚輩時使用。 用例：
> 1.阿爸、阿媽、阿公、阿婆、阿叔、阿嬸……2、阿明、阿小珠、阿飛……

阿妹: 1. 孩子（不管晚輩男女，長輩都可稱其阿妹）。2. 女孩子。

阿姐: 姐姐（部分地區也指姑姑）。許多地區稱姐姐為“阿姊”。

阿妈: 媽媽，母親。

阿孃: 1、伯母，伯父的妻子（五華、惠州等地）。2、泛指老婦女。

阿祖: unable to find; I guess it might belong to meaning 2: "放在名字前，表親切，同輩之間或長輩稱呼晚輩時使用。" So, 祖 might be just a person's name.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 阿祖 could be the same as this one http://twblg.dict.edu.tw/holodict_new/result_detail.jsp?n_no=4604&curpage=1&sample=%E9%98%BF&radiobutton=1&querytarget=1&limit=100000&pagenum=1&rowcount=49 釋義  曾祖父母。稱謂。稱呼祖父的父母親。  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-09-24. Score: 0

<http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/934/>

*[1] [n] prefix to a name or term of address*

> What do these words mean:
>
> 阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈, 阿孃, 阿祖?

* **prefix to a name**: adding 阿 before a noun indicates it is a name, e.g. 阿豬, 阿狗 (if you only say 豬 or 狗, people would presume you are talking about an anime)
* **term of address**: adding 阿 before the name or title of someone indicates you are addressing that person. ( if you only say 妹, 姐, 孃 or 祖, they might not know you are addressing them or just acknowledging their present, like a kid looking at an apple and say "Apple!" ) ; you can also address 阿妹, 阿姐, 阿妈 in third person, for example, 我阿妹, 我阿姐, 我阿妈 instead of 我的妹妹, 我的姐姐, 我的妈妈

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: If 阿爹 is (指)年轻的父亲 and 阿伯 is 上了年纪的父亲 ---- then I doubt it is that **simple** - otherwise I wouldn't need to bother asking this question........ 阿妲 means: 伯母、伯娘、婶娘 |||| 阿宝 means 表兄妹或表兄弟的统称，即老表 -----  
> **username_1**: @user3306356 It might be regional I think.  
> **username_0**: Yes @username_1 username_1 I’m specifically asking about Sichuanese Hakka as I mentioned multiple times in my question.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-09-29. Score: -1

Let's keep it **simple**:

If you are a American or familiar with them, you must hear that someone whose name is Lawrence/Timothy/George..... sometimes also can be referred by Larry/Tim/Georgie....

Now you're witnessing the Chinese version of it. And the Chinese version also add rules like Father->something like "Fatherie"? I make it up myself.


---

