gai1笄
Jyutpinggai1
Yalegāi
Definition
To come of age (for a woman, traditionally at fifteen years old).
writtenpeopletime
How it's used
Refers specifically to the traditional age of fifteen for girls, marking the time they were considered ready for marriage. It is a highly literary and formal term rooted in ancient hair-pinning ceremonies. You will almost never hear this in casual daily speech, as it belongs to historical contexts or formal writing.
Examples
She just turned fifteen this year, she is so cute.
When a girl comes of age at fifteen, there is usually a ceremony.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this for boys or for general coming-of-age milestones, as it is strictly gendered and age-specific. It is not a standard way to say someone is fifteen in modern conversation.
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.
