gung1 man4公文
Jyutpinggung1 man4
Yalegūng màhn
Definition
An official document or formal business correspondence.
neutralworkcommunication
How it's used
Refers specifically to formal, administrative, or bureaucratic correspondence within organizations or government bodies. It carries a heavy, serious tone that is rarely used in casual conversation. Using it to describe a simple letter or a casual memo will sound overly stiff or pretentious.
Measure word
fan2份fánExamples
This official document is written very clearly.
Related words
Common phrases
process official documents
draft an official document
Common mistake
Avoid using this for personal letters or informal emails, as it implies a level of official authority or institutional protocol that does not apply to private communication.
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.
