gaai1 zit3佳節佳节
Jyutpinggaai1 zit3
Yalegāai jit
Definition
A festive and joyful holiday, such as Christmas or Lunar New Year.
neutralfestival
How it's used
Carries a distinct tone of joy and celebration, making it inappropriate for solemn or commemorative occasions. It is almost exclusively reserved for holidays associated with reunion, feasting, and general happiness. You will frequently see it used in formal greetings or media headlines to evoke a warm, festive atmosphere.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
During the Mid-Autumn festival, it is happiest for the whole family to have a meal together.
How do you plan to spend this festive holiday?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this term for days of mourning or ancestor worship like 清明 or 重陽, as it implies a level of cheerfulness that would be considered disrespectful or insensitive in those contexts.
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.
