ging1 soeng1經商经商
Jyutpingging1 soeng1
Yalegīng sēung
Definition
To engage in trade, run a business, or do business.
writtenwork
How it's used
Refers to the formal act of conducting commercial trade or managing a business enterprise. While it is a standard verb, it sounds significantly more professional and serious than the common colloquial phrase 做生意. It is often used in written reports, news, or when describing someone's career path in a slightly elevated tone.
Examples
His family has been doing business in the mainland all along.
When did you start thinking about running a business yourself?
Related words
Common phrases
the way of doing business
to be engaged in trade
Common mistake
Learners often use it interchangeably with 做生意 in casual conversation, but it can sound overly stiff or pretentious if used to describe small, informal side hustles. Stick to 做生意 for daily talk and reserve 經商 for more formal contexts.
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.
