doi6 doi6代代
Jyutpingdoi6 doi6
Yaledoih doih
Definition
Every generation; from generation to generation.
colloquialfamilytime
How it's used
Focuses on the continuity of a family, custom, or habit across time. It often appears with the particle 都 to emphasize that the state or action has remained consistent throughout every single generation without exception.
Examples
This tradition is passed down from generation to generation.
Their family has been doing business for generations.
Related words
Common phrases
passed down from generation to generation
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 代代相傳, which is a formal idiom. In spoken Cantonese, it is more natural to use 代代 as an adverbial phrase followed by a verb, rather than relying on the four character idiom.
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.
