caam1 gwan1參軍参军
Jyutpingcaam1 gwan1
Yalechāam gwān
Definition
To join the army; to enlist in the military.
writtenworkother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the formal act of enlisting in a military force. It is rarely used in casual daily conversation because Hong Kong does not have a conscription system, making the concept feel somewhat distant or historical to most locals.
Examples
His dream when he was little was to join the army.
Have you thought it through? Do you really want to join the army?
Related words
Common phrases
voluntarily join the army
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual contexts where you mean starting a job or joining a club, as it carries a heavy, formal connotation related specifically to military service.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
