gwai1 faa3歸化归化
Jyutpinggwai1 faa3
Yalegwāi fa
Definition
To naturalize; to voluntarily become a citizen of a country and acquire its nationality.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
This term is primarily used in formal or legal contexts regarding immigration status and citizenship. It sounds quite academic or bureaucratic in daily speech, as most people would simply describe the process of getting a passport or becoming a local resident using more casual phrasing.
Examples
He decided to naturalize and become a citizen of this country.
Which country are you planning to naturalize in?
Related words
Common phrases
naturalization and acquiring citizenship
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general immigration or moving abroad. It specifically refers to the legal acquisition of citizenship, not just the act of relocating or living in another place.
Grammar color guide
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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.
