gan1斤
Jyutpinggan1
Yalegān
Definition
Catty, a traditional East Asian unit of weight.
- catty; standard Hong Kong unit of weight, equal to 16 taels or about 604.8 grams
- catty; Mainland China unit of weight, equal to 500 grams
colloquialfoodshopping
How it's used
Traditional markets in Hong Kong still rely heavily on the catty system for pricing fresh produce and meat. Unlike the metric system, one catty is divided into sixteen taels, a legacy of the old system where one catty was equivalent to the weight of sixteen silver coins. Always clarify if you are buying in catties or kilograms when shopping at supermarkets, as they often display prices per kilogram to avoid confusion.
Examples
How much does it cost to buy two catties of apples?
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not assume that one catty is 500 grams. In Hong Kong, a catty is approximately 604.8 grams, which is significantly heavier than the 500-gram 'market catty' used in Mainland China.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
