What does" tai", "dada", and "didi" mean
 

I talk to people with hindu background and they address my name and after tai. I even heard didi and dada. Can someone say what "tai" "didi" and "dada" mean. And "kaku"

Namaste.

From what I can remember of this, these are all 'pet names' to denote familial relationships.

Unlike the Western view, where we say "Maternal Uncle", the Hindus use the term "Dada"...likewise, "Maternal Aunt" is "Didi". In the same way, "Paternal Uncle" is "Kaka" and "Paternal Aunt" is "Kaki".

The term "Kaku" and "Tai" is also used to represent "Uncle and Aunt" but it is more informal - like how, as children, we were never allowed to call our elders by their first name because it is disrespectful - we are taught to say "Uncle Joe" or "Auntie Mary" or "Mr. Smith" or "Mrs. Jones" if we just said "Joe" or "Mary" we'd get a clip around the ear.

In the Hindu tradition it is the same...like anybody younger than you (if you are male), who isn't really related to you will call you "Kaku" or "Dada" -especially if you are known through their mother.

Likewise, you will find the elders will call anybody younger than them "Behta" which means (male child/son) or "Behti" which means (female child/daughter).

It is actually quite cute.

Aum Namah Shivaya

I have just been corrected by memory.

Kaka refers to an uncle who is younger than your own father.
Kaki is the wife of Kaka.
Dada refers to an uncle who is older than your own father.
Didi is the wife of Dada.

This is on the paternal side.

"Dada" can also mean 'brother' and "Didi" can also mean 'sister' but it is used in the same context as "uncle" or "aunt".

There are also names used for the relationships on the maternal side...

"Mama" means an uncle who is older than your own mother.
"Mami" means an aunt who is older than your own mother.

I forget the terms for an uncle or aunt who is younger than your own mother.

It is actually quite confusing and I never got it back then...and I certainly don't get it now...

I just went with it. lol

OKAY!

Here we go...after a while of searching...

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wikti...relation_names

Ahh...Mausa and Mausi...they were the ones I forgot. LOL

There are many, many more according to age, marital status etc

All of this just made me go 'bleary-eyed' (I spent 17 years in a Hindu family, with English being my mother tongue).

I usually just went "aaahhh...okay...whatever". lol

Aum Namah Shivaya

I just had a very amusing memory.

It was in the middle of me trying to understand all of the terms for Indian familial relations when I lamented about this to a Balinese friend.

Now, you see "kaku" also means "toenail" and "kaki" also means "left foot".

He said "the toenail on my uncle's left foot was broken by his wife's left toenail"...but he said it in Bahasa.

It was like "Kaku Kaki ke Kaka, kaki ke kaku kaka"

I didn't know whether to punch him or burst out laughing.

Aum Namah Shivaya

Very nice to see that wikipedia page

You're welcome and I really appreciate you thanking me.

Aum Namah Shivaya