gou3 bit6告別告别
Jyutpinggou3 bit6
Yalegou biht
Definition
To part from, bid farewell, or say goodbye, especially before a long absence.
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How it's used
Carries a formal or sentimental weight that makes it sound more significant than simply saying 走 or 離開. It is frequently used in contexts involving long term departures, such as retiring from a career, ending a long relationship, or a final performance before a hiatus. Using it for casual daily departures, like leaving a friend's house after dinner, would sound overly dramatic or poetic.
Examples
They decided to part ways here and head home separately.
Are you planning to say goodbye to this job?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use it interchangeably with 再見, but 告別 implies a more permanent or solemn separation rather than a routine goodbye.
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.
