gung1 gung6 hei3 ce1公共汽車公共汽车
Jyutpinggung1 gung6 hei3 ce1
Yalegūng guhng hei chē
Definition
Bus; a public transport vehicle.
writtentransport
How it's used
While this term is understood by all speakers, it is almost exclusively used in formal written contexts, official announcements, or signage. In daily spoken Cantonese, people invariably use 巴士 instead. Using this term in a casual conversation will sound stiff or overly formal, as if you are reading from a government notice.
Measure word
gaa3架gaExamples
I usually take the bus to work.
Related words
Common phrases
bus stop
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this term in casual speech because they see it in textbooks or formal documents. Always use 巴士 for everyday communication to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
