faat3 jyun2法院
Jyutpingfaat3 jyun2
Yalefaat yún
Definition
A court of law or court of justice; a place where judicial proceedings and trials are held.
neutralplaces
How it's used
法院 refers specifically to the institution or the physical building where legal proceedings occur. In everyday Hong Kong Cantonese, people often use the more specific terms like 高等法院 or 地方法院 depending on the level of the court involved. It is a formal term that carries a sense of authority and seriousness.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
He has to go to court today to handle the lawsuit.
Do you know where the court is?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 法院 with 法律, which means law. Remember that 法院 is a place, while 法律 is the abstract concept of rules and regulations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
