gik1亟
Jyutpinggik1
Yalegīk
Definition
Urgently or pressingly.
writtenother
How it's used
This term is strictly formal and belongs to written Chinese rather than spoken Cantonese. You will encounter it in news reports, official documents, or academic writing, but it sounds unnatural and overly pretentious in daily conversation. In casual speech, native speakers prefer using 急住 or 趕住 instead.
Examples
The government urgently needs to solve the housing problem.
He urgently needs to improve his work performance.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake it for a common spoken adverb, but using it in a casual text or conversation will make you sound like you are reading a formal newspaper article out loud.
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.
