gung1 hei2恭喜
Jyutpinggung1 hei2
Yalegūng héi
Definition
To congratulate someone on a happy occasion.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Adding the particle 晒 after 恭喜 is extremely common in spoken Cantonese to express a sense of completeness or to emphasize the sincerity of the congratulation. It turns a simple expression into a warmer, more enthusiastic greeting. This is frequently used during festivals or when someone achieves a major life milestone.
Examples
Congratulations on your marriage!
He got a promotion, go congratulate him quickly.
Related words
Common phrases
Congratulations (emphatic)
Wishing you prosperity (Lunar New Year greeting)
Common mistake
Avoid using 恭喜 in contexts where you are expressing sympathy or condolences, as it is strictly reserved for happy events. For sad news, use 節哀順變 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
