gaak3 bik1隔壁
Jyutpinggaak3 bik1
Yalegaak bīk
Definition
Next door; adjacent rooms or houses; a neighbour.
colloquialhomepeople
How it's used
While 隔壁 is the standard written form, Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 隔籬 in daily speech. Using 隔壁 in conversation can sound overly formal or like reading from a textbook. It is common to add 屋 after 隔籬 to specify the location of a neighbour.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mix up 隔籬 with 隔離, which sounds identical but means to isolate or quarantine. Always check the characters to ensure you are talking about a neighbour rather than a medical procedure.
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.
