gaa1 lei6 fuk1 nei4 aa3加利福尼亞加利福尼亚
Jyutpinggaa1 lei6 fuk1 nei4 aa3
Yalegā leih fūk nèih a
Definition
California, a state on the west coast of the United States.
neutralplacestravel
How it's used
Locals almost exclusively use the shortened form 加州 in daily conversation. Using the full name 加利福尼亞 sounds formal or like you are reading from a textbook or news report. It is common to refer to the state by its major cities, such as 洛杉磯 or 三藩市, when discussing travel plans.
Examples
I am going to travel to California next month.
Which city in California do you live in?
Related words
Common phrases
University of California
California sunshine
Common mistake
Avoid using the full name in casual settings, as it sounds overly stiff and unnatural. Always prefer 加州 for everyday speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
