gwai1 jit6圭臬
Jyutpinggwai1 jit6
Yalegwāi yiht
Definition
Standard, criterion, or guiding principle.
writtenother
How it's used
Literary and formal in nature, this term is rarely used in casual, everyday speech. It carries a sense of authority and is typically reserved for contexts involving professional standards, moral principles, or established guidelines that one strictly follows. Using it in a conversation about mundane topics will sound overly academic or pretentious.
Examples
This set of rules is their gold standard.
Are you treating this standard as the gold standard?
Related words
Common phrases
regard as the gold standard
Common mistake
Learners often mistake it for a common word like 標準, but it is much more formal and carries a stronger connotation of being a guiding principle or a benchmark for conduct rather than just a simple measurement.
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.
