gaam1 wu6監護监护
Jyutpinggaam1 wu6
Yalegāam wuh
Definition
To guard, care for, or act as a guardian for someone unable to care for themselves.
neutralpeoplefamily
How it's used
Focuses heavily on the legal or formal responsibility of looking after someone who lacks the capacity to care for themselves, such as a minor or an incapacitated adult. While it implies care, it carries a weightier, more protective tone than the everyday word 照顧, which is used for general caretaking.
Examples
When he was young, he was always under his grandfather's guardianship.
Do you know who is responsible for looking after that child?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this for general babysitting or looking after a friend's pet, as it implies a formal or legal duty of protection rather than casual assistance.
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.
