gam1 zi2金子
Jyutpinggam1 zi2
Yalegām jí
Definition
Gold; the precious metal.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the physical material of gold in a slightly more formal or literary sense than the common term 金. While 金 is used for everything from jewelry to money, 金子 emphasizes the raw material or the precious metal itself. It is rarely used in casual daily speech, where people almost exclusively prefer 金.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this term when they mean money or currency, but it strictly refers to the metal. Using it to describe a bank account or cash will sound unnatural or archaic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
