HKDictionary

Talk About Time in Cantonese

Cantonese time words differ noticeably from Mandarin: tomorrow is 聽日 (ting1 jat6) rather than 明天, and now is 而家 (ji4 gaa1). These five everyday words let you make plans, set meetings, and talk about your day.

gamˉ¹今jatˍ₆日
today
tingˉ¹聽jatˍ₆日
tomorrow | Std. Chin.: 明日; 明天
camˎ₄尋jatˍ₆日
yesterday [Var] 噚日 , 琴日 , 噙日 |[華]: 昨天, 昨日
jiˎ₄而gaaˉ¹家
now; this moment | Std. Chin.: 現在; 如今; 而今; 現今; 當今 | When pronounced as /ji1 gaa1/, usu. written as '依家'
ciˎ₄遲diˉ¹啲
later

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