fu3富
Jyutpingfu3
Yalefu
Definition
Rich; wealthy.
neutralmoney
How it's used
富 is primarily used in formal contexts or compound words, whereas the everyday way to describe someone with money is 有錢. Using 富 as a standalone adjective in casual speech can sound slightly literary or dramatic. It is most commonly encountered in terms like 富貴 or 富翁.
Examples
His family is very wealthy, they live in the whole building.
Do you think rich people are necessarily happy?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 富 as a direct adjective for people in daily conversation, but it sounds unnatural compared to using 有錢. Avoid saying someone is 好富, as it sounds like you are reading from a formal text rather than speaking naturally.
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.
