gon1 zeng6乾淨干净
Jyutpinggon1 zeng6
Yalegōn jehng
Definition
Clean; free from rubbish, dirt, dust, or stains.
colloquialdescriptionsdaily actions
How it's used
While standard in written Chinese, this term is used frequently in spoken Cantonese to describe both physical cleanliness and moral integrity. It is often paired with the intensifier 好 to emphasize the state of being spotless. When describing a person, it implies they are honest or have no shady dealings.
Examples
Your room is tidied up very cleanly.
Are the bowls and chopsticks here clean?
Related words
Common mistake
Beginners often confuse this with 企理, which specifically refers to being neat, tidy, or well-organized rather than just free of dirt.
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.
