gam3 keoi1禁區禁区
Jyutpinggam3 keoi1
Yalegam kēui
Definition
Restricted area; a forbidden zone that requires permission to enter.
neutralplacessports
How it's used
Beyond physical locations, this term frequently appears in sports contexts to describe the penalty area or goal area on a football pitch. It carries a strong sense of official prohibition or legal restriction rather than just a private space. When used metaphorically, it refers to topics or behaviors that are strictly off-limits or taboo in a social setting.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This is a restricted area, you cannot go in.
He doesn't have a closed area permit, how can he enter the restricted area?
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with private property, but it specifically implies a government or security-enforced restriction. Using it to describe someone's bedroom or a private office sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.
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.
