aunty

aunty — noun

1. a warm, everyday word for your aunt: the sister of one of your parents, or the w

1.名詞A1
釋義

a warm, everyday word for your aunt: the sister of one of your parents, or the woman married to your uncle or aunt.

例句

Every Sunday, Mei visits her aunty in Tainan to eat homemade dumplings.

possessive + aunty referring to a family member

Aunty Lin baked a banana cake for my fifth birthday party.

Aunty + given name as form of address

同義詞
  • aunt

    the standard, neutral form used in writing and formal speech

  • auntie

    an equally informal alternative spelling

反義詞
  • uncle

    the male equivalent in the family

文法句型

Aunty + [given name]

my/your aunty

用法筆記

Informal alternative to the neutral word 'aunt'. Common in family talk and in direct address; pair it with a given name (Aunty Mei, Aunty Olu) when speaking to the person.

常見錯誤

❌She is my aunty in law.
✅She is my aunt by marriage.
💡'aunty' is a casual family word; 'aunt by marriage' is clearer in formal writing.
❌I will visit aunty Olu next week.
✅I will visit Aunty Olu next week.
💡capitalize 'Aunty' when it works as a title before a name.

2. a warm, respectful name a child or younger person uses for a friendly older woma

2.名詞A2
釋義

a warm, respectful name a child or younger person uses for a friendly older woman who is not actually a relative, such as a neighbour, family friend, or shop owner.

例句

The kids on our street call the kind lady next door Aunty Wang.

non-relative addressed as Aunty + surname

Every morning, Aunty Rosa hands the school children warm bread from her bakery.

同義詞
  • auntie

    the same meaning with the alternative spelling

  • ma'am

    more neutral and more widely accepted for strangers

反義詞
  • uncle

    the parallel friendly term for an older man who is not a relative

文法句型

Aunty + [given name or surname]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: there is no blood or marriage relationship here. Common in many English-speaking communities, especially among South Asian, Caribbean, and East Asian families, where calling a friendly older woman 'Aunty' shows warmth and respect.

常見錯誤

❌Excuse me, aunty, where is the train station?
✅Excuse me, ma'am, where is the train station?
💡in standard British or American English, calling a stranger 'aunty' can sound odd; use it for women your family already knows.