gong1江
Jyutpinggong1
Yalegōng
Definition
A large river.
neutralnature
How it's used
Refers specifically to large, major rivers, whereas smaller streams or brooks are usually called 溪 or 河. It is frequently used in geographical names like 長江 or 珠江, but in everyday speech, people often use 河 as a more generic term for any body of flowing water. Using 江 for a small creek would sound unnatural or overly literary.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
The Yangtze River is a very long river in China.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 江 and 河 interchangeably, but 江 typically implies a much larger scale and is often reserved for major, named waterways. For a small river or a local stream, always use 河 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
