gung1 lei5公里
Jyutpinggung1 lei5
Yalegūng léih
Definition
Kilometre; a metric unit of length equal to 1,000 metres.
neutraltransportother
How it's used
While standard in scientific and formal contexts, people often use the term interchangeably with the English abbreviation km in casual speech. It is strictly used for distance and is never used to describe the length of small objects or height, where other units are preferred.
Examples
How many kilometres is it from here to the city centre?
I have to run five kilometres every day before I am willing to go home.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe physical height or short distances within a room, as it is exclusively for longer geographical distances.
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.
