gai3繼继
Jyutpinggai3
Yalegai
Definition
To follow; to come after someone or something.
neutraltime
How it's used
Functions primarily as a formal preposition to introduce a predecessor or a preceding event. While common in written Cantonese and formal speech, it sounds stiff in casual conversation where people prefer using 之後 or 跟住. It often appears in structures comparing someone to a notable figure in a specific field.
Examples
He is the second person to arrive after me.
Since we last ate together, we haven't seen each other for a long time.
Related words
Common phrases
carry forward the past and open up the future
to inherit
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it as a verb meaning to continue, but in Cantonese, that meaning is expressed by 繼續. Using 繼 alone as a verb will cause confusion.
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.
