gau3 zai3 gam1救濟金救济金
Jyutpinggau3 zai3 gam1
Yalegau jai gām
Definition
Welfare, dole, or financial relief paid by governments or charities to help those in need.
neutralmoneypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to financial aid provided to those in economic distress, often carrying a slightly sensitive or formal nuance in casual conversation. While it is the standard term for relief money, people often use more specific terms like綜援 when referring to the government's Comprehensive Social Security Assistance scheme in Hong Kong.
Measure word
bat1筆bātExamples
After he lost his job, he has to collect welfare every month.
Will the government increase the welfare payments for grassroots citizens?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe general government subsidies or bonuses, as it implies a state of financial hardship or poverty rather than a universal benefit.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
