gwo3 heoi3 sik1過去式过去式
Jyutpinggwo3 heoi3 sik1
Yalegwo heui sīk
Definition
Past tense; or figuratively, past events, relationships, or history.
- technicalpast tense
- figurativepast events, relationships, or history
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Borrowing the grammatical term for past tense to describe personal history adds a sense of finality and detachment. It is frequently used to dismiss old grudges or failed relationships by framing them as something that has been formally concluded. Using this term suggests that the speaker has moved on and is no longer emotionally invested in the subject.
Examples
The feelings between us are already a thing of the past.
Related words
Common phrases
is already a thing of the past
to become a thing of the past
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe historical events or general past occurrences, as it is specifically intended for personal experiences or interpersonal relationships. It sounds unnatural if applied to objective facts like yesterday's weather or a historical era.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
Adjective
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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).
