gung1 hei2 gat1 coeng4恭喜吉祥
Jyutpinggung1 hei2 gat1 coeng4
Yalegūng héi gāt chèuhng
Definition
Wishing you good fortune and luck; a Chinese New Year greeting.
colloquialfestival
How it's used
This phrase functions as a formal yet warm blessing during the Lunar New Year period. Unlike casual greetings, it carries a sense of traditional respect and is particularly appropriate when visiting relatives or meeting seniors. It is often paired with other auspicious phrases to create a longer, more elaborate well-wish.
Examples
Wishing you good fortune and luck for the New Year, and good health.
Remember to say 'gong hei gat cheung' when you see your elders.
Related words
Common phrases
wishing you good fortune and luck
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a standard 'hello' or 'thank you' equivalent, but it is strictly reserved for festive contexts. Using it outside of the Lunar New Year season will sound confusing or out of place to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
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- 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).
