gung1 haam4公函
Jyutpinggung1 haam4
Yalegūng hàahm
Definition
An official letter, particularly for public or governmental affairs.
writtenworkcommunication
How it's used
Reserved strictly for formal business or government correspondence, this term carries a professional weight that makes it sound out of place in personal communication. Unlike general letters, it implies a structured, bureaucratic, or legal context. It is almost exclusively used in written documents or formal workplace discussions.
Measure word
fung1封fūngExamples
This official letter needs to be sent out today.
Related words
Common phrases
government official letter
to issue an official letter
Common mistake
Avoid using this word for personal letters or emails to friends, as it sounds overly stiff and unnatural. Use 信 instead for any informal or general correspondence.
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.
