fuk1 zi2福祉
Jyutpingfuk1 zi2
Yalefūk jí
Definition
Well-being, welfare, and interests of a person or group.
writtenother
How it's used
Refers primarily to the collective welfare or long term benefit of a group or society, rather than personal happiness or comfort. It carries a formal and serious tone, often appearing in political discourse, policy discussions, or academic writing. Using it in casual conversation about personal life often sounds overly stiff or pretentious.
Examples
The government should pay attention to the citizens' well-being.
Do you think this plan is helpful for the public's well-being?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe personal happiness or physical comfort, as it is strictly reserved for societal or institutional benefits. Use 幸福 for personal happiness or 福利 for specific material benefits like government subsidies.
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.
