gun1觀观
Jyutpinggun1
Yalegūn
Definition
To look at or observe carefully.
neutraldaily actionstravel
How it's used
Unlike the common verb 睇, which is used for casual looking or watching, 觀 carries a formal or literary nuance. It is rarely used as a standalone verb in spoken Cantonese and almost exclusively appears as part of compound words. You will mostly encounter it in set phrases related to observation, tourism, or formal viewing.
Examples
Would you like to go birdwatching when you are free?
They went sightseeing and are never home all day.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 觀 as a direct replacement for 睇 in everyday speech. Saying 我觀緊電視 sounds unnatural and overly formal, as if you are conducting a scientific study of the television program.
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.
