cing1 san4清晨
Jyutpingcing1 san4
Yalechīng sàhn
Definition
Early morning; the time around dawn.
writtentime
How it's used
清晨 is a formal term that is rarely used in casual spoken Cantonese. Most locals prefer using early morning descriptors like 天未光 or 晨早 to describe this time of day. It is mostly encountered in weather reports, news broadcasts, or written literature.
Examples
He gets up at five in the early morning to go running.
Related words
Common phrases
the early morning hours
Common mistake
Using this word in everyday conversation can sound overly stiff or literary. It is better to use 晨早 when talking to friends or family.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
