gung1 ji6公義公义
Jyutpinggung1 ji6
Yalegūng yih
Definition
Justice and righteousness; fairness and correctness.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers to a moral or social standard of fairness rather than just legal compliance. It is often used in discussions about social movements or moral philosophy. Unlike the more common word 公平, which focuses on equality or impartiality, 公義 carries a heavier weight of righteousness and ethical duty.
Examples
There must be justice in society.
Do you think there is any justice to speak of in this matter?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual contexts like splitting a bill or sharing food, where 公平 is the correct choice. Using 公義 for trivial matters sounds overly dramatic or pretentious.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
