gam1 saan1金山
Jyutpinggam1 saan1
Yalegām sāan
Definition
An old name for San Francisco.
colloquialplacespeople
How it's used
Historically, this term reflects the era of the California Gold Rush when Chinese immigrants sought their fortunes abroad. It is now primarily used by older generations or when discussing historical migration patterns. Modern speakers almost exclusively use the transliterated name 三藩市 instead.
Examples
His grandfather went to San Francisco to make a living in the past.
Do you know why people used to call that place 'Gold Mountain'?
Related words
Common phrases
to go to San Francisco
a person who traveled to San Francisco for work
Common mistake
Avoid using this term in a modern professional or travel context, as it sounds archaic and may confuse younger listeners who associate the name strictly with historical narratives.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
