gei1 fong1飢荒饥荒
Jyutpinggei1 fong1
Yalegēi fōng
Definition
Famine; a widespread and prolonged shortage of food.
neutralfoodother
How it's used
Refers specifically to large scale, severe food shortages affecting a population, rather than the simple feeling of being hungry. While it is a standard noun, it is rarely used in casual daily chatter unless discussing history, news reports, or extreme humanitarian crises. Use 肚餓 when describing the personal physical sensation of needing food.
Measure word
coeng4場chèunghExamples
That famine caused many people to have no food to eat.
Do you know that a famine happened there?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 肚餓, which is the adjective for feeling hungry. Remember that 飢荒 describes a societal disaster, not an individual's appetite.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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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.
