gaan2 ji4 jin4 zi1簡而言之简而言之
Jyutpinggaan2 ji4 jin4 zi1
Yalegáan yìh yìhn jī
Definition
In brief; in short; to put it in a nutshell.
writtencommunicationother
How it's used
This is a formal, literary idiom that stands out in spoken Cantonese because it sounds quite bookish. While it is perfectly understood in conversation, people often opt for more casual alternatives like 簡單嚟講 or 總之 when speaking with friends. It is best reserved for presentations, serious discussions, or when you want to sound particularly authoritative or concise.
Examples
In short, they don't want to help at all.
In a nutshell, what do you think of this plan?
Related words
Common phrases
in short
Common mistake
Learners often overuse this in casual settings where it can sound overly stiff or pretentious. If you are just chatting with friends, stick to 簡單嚟講 instead.
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.
