gou1 haau2高考
Jyutpinggou1 haau2
Yalegōu háau
Definition
College entrance examinations in Hong Kong (historical) or mainland China.
- datedThe Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE), abolished in 2013
- The National Higher Education Entrance Examination of mainland China
colloquialschooltime
How it's used
Refers specifically to the defunct Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination, which was the final hurdle for university entrance before the current system. In modern conversation, it is almost exclusively used to describe the National Higher Education Entrance Examination in mainland China. It carries a heavy cultural weight as a high-stakes, life-defining event for students in both contexts.
Measure word
coeng4場chèunghExamples
Taking the A-Levels back then was really stressful.
Do you know when the mainland Gaokao starts?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the current Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, which is referred to as 文憑試. Using 高考 to refer to the current local university entrance exam is factually incorrect.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
