coeng4 kei4長期长期
Jyutpingcoeng4 kei4
Yalechèuhng kèih
Definition
Long-term, long-standing, or over a long period of time.
colloquialtimedescriptions
How it's used
Functions primarily as an adverbial modifier to describe states or habits that persist over an extended duration. It carries a sense of stability or continuation, often implying that a situation is not merely temporary or accidental. Unlike formal written Chinese, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese to describe personal health conditions or ongoing life circumstances.
Examples
He has been resting at home for a long time and rarely goes out.
This long-standing problem has been bothering me for a long time.
Related words
Common phrases
chronic illness
long-term meal ticket (a humorous way to refer to someone who provides financial support)
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe the duration of a specific completed action, such as saying you stayed somewhere for a long time; for that, use 長時間 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
