gam1金
Jyutpinggam1
Yalegām
Definition
Money or wealth.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Using 金 to mean money is primarily found in slang or idiomatic expressions rather than everyday speech. While it literally refers to gold, it carries a slightly cynical or colloquial tone when used to describe wealth or cash. It often appears in phrases related to making money or being greedy.
Examples
His family is very wealthy, they go traveling all the time.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 金 as a direct substitute for 錢 in formal or neutral contexts, as it will sound unnatural or overly dramatic. It is not a standard noun for currency in daily 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.
