gaak3鬲
Jyutpinggaak3
Yalegaak
Definition
An ancient river; also an ancient state.
- archaicthe name of an ancient river in China
- archaicthe name of an ancient state in China
writtenother
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively encountered in historical texts, classical literature, or as a surname. It is not part of the active vocabulary for daily communication in Hong Kong. Learners will likely only see it when studying ancient geography or specific family names.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 隔, which is common in everyday speech. Because 鬲 is so rare, it is often misread or mistaken for more frequent characters with similar components.
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.
