gau2 cat1 nin4九七年
Jyutpinggau2 cat1 nin4
Yalegáu chāt nìhn
Definition
The year 1997.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Refers specifically to the year of the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule. It carries significant political and social weight, often serving as a temporal benchmark for discussing changes in local culture, economy, and identity. When people mention it, they are frequently contrasting the time before and after this historical turning point.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
around 1997
Common mistake
Avoid using this to refer to the number 1997 in a mathematical or purely chronological context, as it is almost exclusively used to evoke the historical significance of the handover year.
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.
