gong2 gu2 zai2講古仔讲古仔
Jyutpinggong2 gu2 zai2
Yalegóng gú jái
Definition
To tell a story.
colloquialpeoplecommunication
How it's used
Often implies a sense of nostalgia or refers to traditional folklore, though it is frequently used colloquially to mean telling a tall tale or fabricating an excuse. It carries a warmer, more informal tone than the standard 講故事. It is common to hear it used when someone is being long-winded or dramatic about a past event.
Examples
Grandpa loves sitting there telling me stories.
Are you making up stories to fool the kids again?
Related words
Common phrases
to tell a story to someone
to make up a story to deceive someone
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply reading a book out loud, as it specifically implies an oral, often performative, storytelling tradition or a casual, embellished account of events.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
