gu1辜
Jyutpinggu1
Yalegū
Definition
Crime, sin, or guilt; a wrongdoing or fault.
writtenother
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively found in the compound word 無辜. It functions as a morpheme rather than a standalone word in modern spoken Cantonese. Using it outside of specific set phrases will sound highly literary or archaic to native speakers.
Examples
He is truly innocent this time.
Related words
Common phrases
innocent
Common mistake
Do not attempt to use this as a verb or noun in everyday conversation. Learners often mistake it for a common word like 錯, but it carries a much heavier, formal, or legalistic weight.
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).
